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MULBERRY  TREE 


AND  SILK  WORM. 


SXOHT     TEAIIS 

EXPERIENCE    AND    OBSERVATION 
IN   THE    CULTURE    OF   THE 

MULBERRY     TREE, 

AND  IN  THE  CARE  OF  THE 

SILK      WORM. 

WITH     REMARKS 

ADAPTED    TO  THE    AMERICAN    SYSTEM    OP    PRO- 
DUCING RAW  SILK  FOR  EXPORTATION. 

BY    S  AMU  Eli    WHITMARSH, 


Patience  and  Perseverance  will  convert  the  Mulberry  Leaf 
into  Silk. — Spanish  Proverb. 


NORTHAMPTON: 

PUBLISHED      BY     J.     H.     BUTLER. 

FOE     THE     AUTHOR. 

1839. 


Entered  according  to  act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1839,  by 
Samuel  Whitmarsh,  in  the  Clerk's  office  of  the  District 
Court  of  Massachusetts  District. 


■^ 


TO    THE 

iFarmtrs  of  tf)t  23nitttr  estates, 

AND      THEIR      CHILDREN.' 

To  all  my  Countrymen,  who  are,  or  may 
be  engaged  in  the  interesting  employ- 
ment of  raising  Silk,  I  would  respectful- 
ly dedicate  this  work,  hoping  that  it 
will  meet  their  wants,  and  promising 
that  the  profits  of  sale  shall  be  devoted 
to  the  cause, 

BY    LAYING    A    FOUNDATION 
FOR  A 

PATTERN    FILATURE 

FOR 
INSTRUCTION     IN     REELING, 

which  shall  be  open  to  all. 

Samuel  Whitmarsh. 
Northampton,  Mass.  Nov.  13,  1838. 


CONTENTS. 


Page. 
The  selection  of  the  mulberry  tree,  15 
Soil,  .  -  -  -  22 
The  culture  and  treatment  of  the  mul- 
berry tree,  -  -  -  35 
Seed,  -  -  -  -41 
Eggs  and  Hatching,  -  -  -  44 
Feeding,  -  -  -  -  50 
Cocoonry,  -  -  -  -  86 
Reeling,  -  -  -  -  94 
Produce  of  an  acre,  &/C.  -  -  98 
Do  thunder  storms  affect  the  worms?  102 
To  landholders,  -  -  -  105 
To  the  overseers  of  the  poor  in  towns 

and  cities,         >             -             -  108 

State  bounties,         -            -            -  112 

Manufacture  of  Silk,               -             -  117 

Facts  from  Dandolo,          -            -  147 


MULBERRY  TREE 

AND     SILK    WORM. 


I  HAVE  been  frequently  solicited 
by  the  friends  of  the  Silk  cause  to 
publish  the  result  of  my  experience 
and  observation,  in  a  form  suited  to 
the  silk-growing  interest  of  this  coun- 
try : — most  of  the  works  already 
published  being  in  a  great  measure 
compilations  from  foreign  authors, 
which  are  made  up  of  details,  not  at 
all  applicable  to  what  I  shall  term 
the  American  system ;  for  such  must 
be  the  system  by  which  we  shall  suc- 
ceed in  making  raw  silk  one  of  the 
-     2 


10 

great  staples  of  our  country  ;  and  by 
which  we  shall  induce  our  farmers  to 
turn  their  attention  to  its  extensive 
cultivation. 

To  farmers  and  planters  we  must 
in  a  great  measure  look  for  the  pro- 
duction of  the  article.  Much  has 
been  done  and  will  continue  to  be 
done  by  individuals  associated  for 
the  purpose  ;  but  to  the  farmers  and 
planters  throughout  our  land  I  "ould 
particularly  address  myself  and  urge 
them  to  give  their  immediate  and 
earnest  attention  to  this  all  impor- 
tant subject ;  to  look  into  the  matter 
thoroughly,  and  not  only  look  but 
act.  Be  not  alarmed  by  the  frequent 
croakings  about  the  high  price  of  la- 
bor in  this  country  and  the  impossi- 


11 

bility  of  raising  silk,  in  competition 
with  other  countries  ;  it  is  too  late  in 
the  day  for  any  such  arguments  ;  they 
vanish  completely  before  the  face 
of  facts^  which  are  better  than  all 
theories.  The  silk  culture  has  gain- 
ed too  much  headway  to  receive  the 
least  check  to  its  speed  by  the  fears 
and  doubts  of  the  timid.  I  urge  you 
all  to  plant  mulberries  in  the  full  as- 
surance that  they  will  be  wanted. 
If  you  will  not  use  them  yourselves, 
you  will  leave  your  now  worn  out 
lands  as  a  rich  legacy  to  your  child- 
ren ;  for  you  may  be  assured  that  silk 
must  and  will  be  raised  from  one  ex- 
tremity of  our  country  to  the  other. 

The  attention  of  the   people  has 
been  called  to  this  subject  repeatedly, 


12 

and  from  one  cause  and  another  it  has 
been  neglected,  excepting  in  some 
parts  of  Connecticut  and  Massachu- 
setts, and,  before  the  revolution,  in 
Georgia.  But  the  time  has  come  for 
general  action,  and  I  rejoice  to  say 
that  the  attention  of  the  whole  coun- 
try is  now  alive  to  the  subject,  and 
if  directed  in  the  right  course,  will 
result  in  the  complete  establishment 
of  the  profitable  culture  of  silk  in 
the  United  States.  Congress  has 
taken  the  matter  into  serious  consid- 
eration, and  well  it  might,  for  it  is 
of  immense  importance  to  the  coun- 
try :  we  have  the  soil,  the  climate 
and  the  population,  to  produce  silk 
to  any  extent  and  of  the  best  quali- 
ty ;  and  I  venture  here  to  say,  that 


13 


China  and   Bengal  will  before  long 
feel   the   effects   of  the  efforts  now 
made,  which  will  result  in  the  pro- 
duction of  silk  to  compete  with  them 
in  the  London  market.     I  speak  not 
at  random ;— either  or  both  of  these 
countries  may  produce  a  lower  priced 
article,  but  the  quality  of  silk  in  all 
cases  decides  the  question  of  prefe- 
rence, and  in  another  place  I  will 
give  the  reasons  for  this  opinion. 

The  cultivation  of  silk  is  in  itself 
simple,  and  my  object  is  now  to  treat 
a  simple  subject  in  a  simple  way, 
and  to  remove  from  it  all  the  myste- 
ry of  foreign  authors.  I  would  soli- 
cit the  attention  of  farmers  and  their 
children.  Old  and  young  will  find 
pleasure  and  profit  in  the  culture  ; 


14 

the  whole  process,  from  the  egg  to 
the  reel,  is  very  interesting  and  in- 
structive, and  I  am  quite  certain 
they  will  be  surprised  at  its  simpli- 
city. It  is  for  them  I  write ;  to 
those  who  are  better  informed  on 
the  subject  I  need  offer  no  apology 
for  the  plain  and  unadorned  pages 
which  I  offer  as  all  that  is  necessary 
to  be  known  to  constitute  this  a  silk- 
producing  country.  Thousands  are 
inquiring,  what  work  on  the  subject 
is  best  1  where  shall  we  look  for  in- 
formation ?  As  I  observed  before, 
all  the  published  works  are  transla- 
tions of  foreign  authors,  or  compila- 
tions, and  in  my  view  not  adapted  to 
our  country.  I  may  not  succeed 
any  better,  but  I  will  try. 


15 


THE    SELECTION    OF    THE 
MULBERRY    TREE. 


It  is  all  important  that  we  select 
the  right  sort  of  Mulberry  tree,  and 
provide  a  plenty  of  them ;  and  as  the 
quality  of  the  silk  and  the  health 
of  the  worm  depend  much  on  the 
quality  of  the  leaf  and  the  soil  on 
which  it  grows,  I  may  trespass  some- 
what on  the  patience  of  my  readers 
before  I  leave  this  chapter.  It  is  a 
common  error  to  suppose  that  the 
size  of  the  leaf  is  every  thing ;  con- 
sequently almost  every  consideration 
is  lost  sight  of  in  the  pursuit  of  the 


16  SELECTION    OF    THE 

largest  leaf ; — trees  are  manured  and 
forced  to  their  destruction.  A  large 
leaf  is  certainly  desirable  if  it  be  of  a 
dry  nature,  containing  more  of  the 
resinous  substance,  and  less  of  water 
than  many  of  the  larger  leaf  kinds, 
as  the  black,  red,  &c.  All  the  va- 
rieties of  the  white  mulberry  are 
better  than  these. 

Great  allowance  should  be  made 
for  the  more  luxuriant  growth  of  the 
mulberry  in  this  country,  it  being 
much  greater  than  in  France  or  Ita- 
ly. We  should  adapt  the  tree  to  the 
soil ;  the  more  luxuriant  kinds  should 
be  planted  on  the  poorer  soils,  while 
those  of  a  slower  growth  may  occupy 
richer  lands.  In  the  South  of  France 
and  Italy,  where  the  mulberry  is  ex- 


MULBERRY    TREE.  17 

tensively  cultivated  for  silk,  planta- 
tions are  made  with  great  care,  prin- 
cipally of  grafted  mulberry  trees, 
trimmed  to  a  head  as  standards  and 
carefully  pruned  and  as  carefully 
handled  when  the  leaves  are  picked. 
All  this  is  very  well  for  a  country 
where  the  growth  of  wood  in  a  sea- 
son is  but  small,  where  land  cannot 
be  exclusively  devoted  to  the  mul- 
berry, and  where  also  the  labor  of 
gathering  leaves  by  the  help  of  lad- 
ders can  be  sustained.  This  cannot 
be  done  in  this  country  in  competi- 
tion with  the  cheap  labor  of  Europe, 
at  least  not  extensively. 

Silk  has  heretofore  been  raised 
from  standard  trees  in  this  country  ; 
but   the   superior  adaptation  of  our 


18  SELECTION    OF    THE 

soil  and  climate  to  the  growth  of  the 
mulberry  and  silk  worm,  the  cheap- 
ness of  land,  the  superior  intelli- 
gence and  activity  of  our  farmers — 
themselves  the  owners  of  the  soil — 
all  tend  to  mark  this  country  as  des- 
tined to  become  one  of  the  first,  if 
not  the  first,  for  the  production  of 
raw  silk.  China  ma}'^  excel  in  quan- 
tity, but  not  in  quality.  JYeither 
France  or  Italy  can  produce  silk  so 
cheap  as  the  United  States.  China 
and  Bengal  produce  the  cheapest 
silk,  but  it  cannot  be  delivered  in 
this  country  at  so  low  a  price  as  it 
can  be  raised  for  here.  If  we  pur- 
sue a  system  adapted  to  our  climate 
and  state  of  society,  we  should  not 
look   to  foreigners  for  aid,  who  are 


MULBERRY    TREE.  19 

generally  wedded  to  their  own  sys- 
tems (which  for  them  may  be  well 
enough  ;)  but  pursue  a  course  which 
nature  points  out  to  us. 

Silk  may  be  made  from  a  mulber- 
ry  which  is  indigenous  to  our  coun- 
try, but  the  quality  will  not  compare 
with  that  made  from  the  finer  kinds, 
nor  will  the  same  success  attend  the 
growth  of  the  worm.  The  black 
and  red  mulberry  contain  too  much 
water  in  the  leaf,  particularly  under 
cultivation.  The  silk  made  from 
them  is  strong  and  well  adapted  to 
Sewing  Silk^  but  not  for  the  finer  ar- 
ticles, for  which  the  main  crop  of 
silk  is  wanted. 

A   very    common  'error    prevails 
of   planting    trees    too   close   or   in 


20  SELECTION    OF    THE 

hedges,  as  they  are  called.  No  kind 
of  mulberry  should  be  planted  closer 
than  four  feet  (I  prefer  eight  feet 
between  the  rows  and  four  feet  be- 
tween the  trees)  if  good  silk  and 
healthy  worms  are  desired  ;  and  if 
you  do  not  wish  to  gather  twice  the 
quantity  of  leaf  which  ought  to  pro- 
duce a  pound  of  silk.  Every  plant 
should  have  the  sun  and  air  to  ma- 
ture its  leaves ;  and  it  should  be  our 
aim  to  perfect  the  worm  and  bring  it 
to  winding  its  cocoon  with  as  little 
bulk  of  leaf  as  possible.  As  the  res- 
inous substance  in  the  leaf  is  that 
which  fills  the  silk  bags  of  the  worm, 
the  smaller  the  quantity  of  leaf  re- 
quired to  perfect  the  worm,  the  less 
will  be  the  danger  of  a  superabun- 


MULBERRY    TREE.  21 

dance  of  water  in  the  leaf — a  cause 
of  disease  in  the  worm.  Any  one 
who  will  try  the  experiment  with 
closely  planted  trees,  or  trees  in  a 
rich  soil,  and  with  those  of  a  dry 
gravelly  soil  with  more  space,  will 
find  the  result  in  favor  of  the  appa- 
rently poorer  growth. 


3 


22 


SOIL. 


The  soil  most  suitable  for  the  pro- 
duction of  good  silk  is  a  gravelly 
loam  on  a  sub-soil  of  gravel  and  sand. 
Stony  lands,  hills  and  elevated  plains 
are  suitable,  or  any  warm  dry  soil. 
A  rich  loam  is  not  so  good.  Clay  is 
iiot  suitable  ;  trees  will  grow  in  it 
well  enough,  but  it  will  produce  a 
watery  leaf. 

There  are  millions  of  acres  lying 
in  waste,  in  Virginia  and  the  Caroli- 
nas,  which  would  produce  rich  crops 
of  silk  and  clothe  the  now  desolate 
commons  with  the  most  beautiful  fo- 


SOIL.  23 

liage;  and  what  is  better,  help  to 
clothe  the  poor,  feed  the  hungry, 
and  raise  the  drooping  spirits  of  thou- 
sands who  now  find  it  difficult  to  sus- 
tain themselves,  and  who  would,  I 
am  sure,  gladly  avail  themselves  of 
any  opportunity  of  obtaining  profita- 
ble and  healthy  employment. 

The  raising  of  silk  is  as  interesting 
as  it  is  profitable.  It  is  not  laborious 
or  difficult,  nor  does  it  require  large 
capital.  It  is  happily  within  the 
means  of  the  most  humble,  and  offers 
to  all  who  will  undertake  it  a  rich 
return. 

I  would  here  suggest  to  landhold- 
ers in  the  vicinity  of  towns,  that  by 
planting  their  light  lands  with  mul- 
berry trees  they  would  not  only  in- 


24  SOIL. 

sure  to  themselves  a  large  and  in- 
creasing income,  but  enjoy  the  satis- 
faction of  giving  a  pleasant  and  heal- 
thy employment  to  hundreds  of  fam- 
ilies who  may  not  be  in  a  situation 
to  provide  it  for  themselves.  Light 
land  planted  with  the  mulberry  will 
yield  a  large  profit  by  the  sale  of  the 
leaves  only,  or  by  having  them  fed 
on  shares. 

Every  farm  has  more  or  less  of 
black  vegetable  matter  collected  in 
hollows  and  swamps,  usually  called 
muck,  which  is  the  best  of  manure 
for  the  mulberry,  causing  it  to  flour- 
ish on  very  light  and  sandy  soils. 
The  muck  should  be  thrown  up  in 
the  fall  to  freeze  and  sweeten,  as  the 
gardeners  say ;    before  planting  the 


SOIL.  25 

trees,  put  it  into  the  furrows  or  holes, 
and  the  trees,  once  started  in  it,  will 
continue  to  flourish  for  many  years. 
No  mulberry  tree  should  be  manur- 
ed with  fresh  barn  manure ;  it  is 
rank  poison  to  them,  and  is  one  great 
cause  of  their  being  winter-killed. 
The  well  rotted  vegetable  matter 
above  mentioned  is  the  best  and  most 
durable  manure.  It  causes  a  thrifty 
natural  growth.  A  little  ashes  or 
lime  may  improve  it  in  some  cases. 
Old  woolen  rags,  bones,  fish,  and  all 
animal  substances,  are  useful ;  but 
the  muck,  which  is  within  reach  of 
almost  every  one,  is  the  cheapest  and 
on  a  large  scale  the  main  thing  to  be 
depended  on. 


26  SOIL. 

Mulberries,  when  planted  out, 
should  be  kept  clear  of  grass  and 
weeds,  and  the  ground  loose  about 
them.  They  delight  in  a  mellow 
soil,  and  when  once  well  established 
in  a  healthy  state  will  continue  to 
improve  for  twenty-five  years,  if 
well  used.  We  are  told  by  some, 
that  "  the  more  you  pick  them  the 
faster  they  will  grow,"  the  fallacy  of 
which  must  appear  to  every  one  who 
will  for  a  moment  consider  the  na- 
ture of  the  operation  of  stripping  a 
tree  of  its  foliage  once  or  more  every 
season. 

We  are  also  told  that  several  crops 
may  be  fed  from  the  same  trees  in  a 
season  ; — this  you  may  do  if  you  do 
not  reo;ard  the  durabilitv  of  the  tree. 


SOIL.  27 

Once  a  year  is  quite  often  enough  to 
strip  them  of  leaves  or  branches, 
(feeding  with  branches  has  many  ad- 
vantages which  I  shall  mention  in 
another  place.)  Several  crops  of 
worms  may  be  fed  in  a  season,  but 
not  from  the  same  trees.  Trees 
enough  should  be  provided  to  make 
a  second  picking  unnecessary.  We 
have  land  in  abundance ;  and  the 
same  building  may  accommodate  a 
succession  of  crops  fed  from  a  suc- 
cession of  acres. 

I  would  not  have  my  readers  place 
implicit  confidence  in  what  I  say  on 
the  subject,  as  I  may  be  mistaken. 
But  let  any  one  who  doubts  it  try 
the  experiment ; — set  apart  a  few 
trees,  no  matter  of  what  sort,    and 


28  SOIL. 

pluck  the  leaves  as  many  times  in  a 
season  as  you  please ;  it  is  possible 
that  the  leaves  will  diminish  in  size 
and  quantity  by  the  operation,  and  it 
is  also  possible,  that  after  a  year  or 
two  there  will  be  no  leaves  at  all, 
that  the  trees  will  perish  in  summer 
or  winter — most  likely  the  latter. 
It  should  be  considered,  that  what  is 
called  a  hardy  tree  is  not  merely  one 
that  will  endure  cold  winters,  but 
the  clipping,  picking,  and  hard  usage 
which  they  will  be  likely  to  receive 
according  to  our  mode  of  treatment 
when  they  come  to  be  fed  from. 

In  making  a  plantation  for  the  cul- 
ture of  silk,  we  must  suppose  it  of 
course  to  be  a  permanent  one  which 
shall  be  a  continued  source  of  profit, 


SOIL.  29 

the  profit  increasing  with  the  age 
and  growth  of  the  tree,  if  well  used  ; 
and  nothing  is  better  repaid  than 
good  care  and  cultivation  for  the 
mulberry.  We  shall  need  much 
less  care  than  the  cultivators  of  Eu- 
rope, as  the  mulberry  thrives  much 
better  in  this  country  and  makes  a 
much  more  luxuriant  growth, — so 
much  so  indeed,  that  I  have  seen  in- 
telligent men,  who  had  extensive  ac- 
quaintance and  experience  with  the 
mulberry  in  France  and  Italy,  quite 
at  a  loss  amidst  our  fields,  to  recog- 
nize their  old  acquaintance — varieties 
which  they  have  long  cultivated  at 
home,  here  quite  changed  in  appear- 
ance.    They  could  scarcely  believe 


30  SOIL. 

the  fact,  when  shown  a  year's  growth 
of  the  mulberry  in  this  country. 

In  consideration  of  the  vigorous 
growth,  we  should  give  more  space 
for  our  standard  trees  or  stools ;  as 
by  our  system  of  cutting  them  down 
every  year  they  will  spread  over  a 
large  space.  Eight  feet  by  four  is 
quite  near  enough  for  the  vigorously 
growing  kinds.  They  will  meet  in 
a  few  years,  and  when  leaves  are  de- 
prived of  sun  and  air,  they  are  of  lit- 
tle use  to  the  silk  grower. 

The  mulberry  delights  in  the  hot- 
test sunshine, — never  too  hot,  if  mois- 
ture is  seasonably  supplied.  Our 
bright  sunshine  and  frequent  show- 
ers, cause  an  almost   too    luxuriant 


SOIL.  31 

growth   of   the  mulberry,    in  some 
cases  detrimental  to  the  worms. 

The  leaves  are  undoubtedly  im- 
proved by  the  age  of  the  tree,  hav- 
ing less  of  the  rough,  harsh  taste  and 
feeling,  that  are  common  to  the  plants 
of  younger  growth.  It  is  found  in 
Europe  that  the  worms  succeed  best 
when  brought  out  simultaneously 
with  the  leaf.  They  are  generally 
hatched  much  later  in  this  country, 
and  the  general  character  of  vegeta- 
tion differs  so  materially  from  that  of 
the  silk  districts  of  France  and  Italy, 
and  withal  so  extensive  is  our  coun- 
try and  so  various  its  climate,  that  I 
can  give  no  better  rule  than  for  the 
JYorth  to  aim  at  the  most  genial  and 
steady  heat,  and  for  the  South  to  en- 


32  SOIL. 

deavor  to  finish  the  crop  before  the 
hotest  season  commences.  Excess- 
ive heat  is  more  to  be  dreaded  than 
cold.  Cold  only  retards  the  worms  ; 
excessive  heat  destroys  them.  An 
equal  temperature  of  about  72  de- 
grees of  Farenheit  is  most  to  be  de- 
sired ; — but  I  am  wandering  from  the 
subject  of  soil. 

This,  as  I  have  before  observed, 
must  be  warm,  gravelly,  or  sandy. 
It  is  oft^n  said,  that  "the  poorest 
land  is  the  best  for  the  mulberry." 
It  is  not  so.  It  may  with  truth  be 
said  that  the  light  lands  of  a  farm — 
too  light  for  profit  in  other  crops — 
may  be  most  advantageously  planted 
with  the  mulberry,  and  in  a  few 
years,  by  proper  treatment,  be  made 


SOIL.  33 

more  profitable  than  richer  lands, 
planted  with  other  crops.  I  have 
seen  many  acres  set  out  with  mul- 
berry trees,  the  soil  so  poor  that 
blackberry  briars  would  starve  ; 
whilst  mulberry  trees  from  four  to 
eight  feet  high  with  full  heads  were 
set  in  barren  sand  ;  and  because  they 
would  not  begin  to  grow,  "  the  silk 
business  was  all  moonshine."  Now, 
had  the  holes  been  filled  with  muck, 
and  the  heads  of  the  trees  cut  off — 
poor  as  the  soil  was,  they  would 
have  made  a  good  growth,  and  in  a 
few  years,  when  well  rooted,  pro- 
duced a  good  crop  of  silk. 

Lands    that   are   considered  worn 
out  for  corn  or  cotton   may  thus  be 
made   productive,   and   of    the   best 
4 


34  SOIL. 

silk.  The  mulberry  strikes  its  root 
deep,  and  when  once  well  establish- 
ed, will  do  better  on  light  lands  than 
any  other  tree.  Lands  which  will 
grow  twenty  bushels  of  corn  to  the 
acre,  manured,  are  quite  strong 
enough  for  good  silk,  if  on  a  gravel- 
ly or  sandy  bottom.  Such  lands,  by 
the  application  of  ashes,  lime,  mud 
or  muck,  or  compost  of  all  kinds, 
will  produce  vigorous  trees  with  the 
sweetest  foliage,  and  silk  of  the  best 
quality,  and  much  more  than  lower 
richer  lands.  It  is  the  dry  nature  of 
the  leaf  on  such  lands  that  makes  the 
silk  so  superior. 


35 


THE  CULTURE  AND  TREAT- 
MENT OF  THE  MULBERRY 
TREE. 


The  mulberry  tree  is  of  course 
but  little  known  in  this  country,  so 
recent  is  the  awakened  interest  in  its 
culture.  It  will  prove  to  us  a  source 
of  great  wealth,  and  it  should  receive 
the  attention  that  it  merits.  It  will 
add  another  valuable  staple  to  our 
agriculture,  the  true  source  of  wealth 
to  any  country, — a  staple  that  will 
conduce  more  to  the  happiness  and 
comfort  of  our  whole  country  than  any 


36  CULTURE    AND    TREATMENT 

other.  There  is  no  other  that  lias 
not  its  peculiar  locality,  while  the 
mulberry  and  silk  worm  will  flourish 
from  the  extreme  north  to  the  south- 
ern borders  of  our  country.  If  there 
is  any  advantage,  in  one  part  of  the 
country  over  another,  it  is  in  fa- 
vor of  the  north  ;  but  all  parts  of  it 
may  participate  in  its  benefits,  and  I 
hope  will  do  so. 

To  propagate  by  cuttings  and  lay- 
ers seems  best  adapted  to  the  go- 
a-head  propensities  of  our  country- 
men. In  Europe  grafting  and  bud- 
ding are  much  resorted  to,  even  in 
hedges.  It  is  not  desirable  for  us, 
nor  is  it  practicable  on  an  extensive 
scale. 


OF    THE    MULBERRY    TREE.  37 

No  kind  of  mulberry  under  culti- 
vation can  be  produced  from  seed.* 

*  By  the  above  assertion,  I  mean  that  if  we 
wish  to  cultivate  or  propagate  any  particular 
kind  of  mulberry,  we  must  not  expect  to  do  it 
by  seeds.  We  may  indeed  select  many  valua- 
ble kinds  from  seedlings.  Some  produce  fewer 
varieties  than  others — but  a  particular  mulber- 
ry, like  any  other  fruit  tree,  must  be  continued 
by  graftings  or  cuttings.  I  have  trees  four 
years  old  which  I  raised  from  fruit  gathered  by 
myself  from  the  Multicaulis  trees  in  my  own 
grounds.  Of  four  trees  no  two  are  alike,  and 
neither  of  them  like  the  parent  tree.  All  have 
lobed  leaves.  Two  of  them  have  leaves  no 
larger  than  the  smallest  white  mulberry.  This 
could  not  be  the  result  of  mixture  from  other 
trees,  as  the  multicaulis  fruit  was  fairly  set,  in 
fact  well  filled,  before  the  white  mulberry  teas  in 
blossom.  This  I  particularly  observed  at  the 
4* 


38  CULTURE    AND    TREATMENT 

This  should  be  generally  under- 
stood as  much  disappointment  would 
be  thereby  avoided.  Many  persons 
purchase  seed  expecting  it  to  pro- 
duce trees  exactly  like  the  parent. 
But  they  will  see  varieties  without 
number,  and  if  they  would  increase 
any  one  among  them,  it  must  be  by 
grafting,  budding,  or  cuttings.    Wood 


time ;  although  it  was  said  by  the  knowing 
ones,  and  is  believed  to  this  day,  that  ''  it  must 
be  a  mixture  with  the  white."  There  could  be 
no  mistake  in  the  case,  as  I  planted  the  fruit  in 
two  minutes  from  the  tree,  and  kept  the  plants 
in  a  flower  pot  till  the  second  year,  and  then 
planted  them  with  my  own  hands  where  they 
now  stand.  I  have  been  thus  particular  as 
there  are  many  theories  upon  the  subject  of 
multicaulis  and  other  seeds. 


.«» 


OF    THE    MULBERRY    TREE.  39 

for  cuttings  should  be  kept  in  sand 
through  the  ivinter.  When  the  buds 
swell  in  the  spring,  cut  them  into  one 
or  two  bud  cuttings  as  you  may 
think  best.  Cut  them  half  an  inch 
below  the  bud.  Make  the  ground 
mellow  and  rich.  Place  the  cuttings 
under  the  soil,  about  two  or  three 
inches,  according  to  the  situation. 
When  the  sprout  appears  through 
the  ground,  nearly  cover  it  with 
earth  ;  do  the  same  when  it  is  grown 
an  inch  or  two  more  ;  and  you  will 
not  lose  one  in  fifty.  Keep  them 
clear  of  weeds  and  the  ground  loose  ; 
— hoe  often,  weeds  or  no  weeds; 
and  you  will  have  no  need  of  the 
watering  pot.     I  have  known  weeds, 


40  CULTURE,    &C. 

left  to  shade  the  cuttings,  to  exhaust 
all  the  moisture  from  the  soil  and 
prevent  the  dews  from  penetrating 
to  the  roots. 


41 


SEED. 


Mulberry  seed  should  be  soaked 
twenty-four  hours  in  warm  water 
and  rolled  in  dry  wood  ashes.  Sow 
it  in  rich  ground — cover  it  one  quar- 
ter of  an  inch  and  press  the  ground  by 
a  board — or,  if  on  a  large  scale,  the 
roller.  Keep  the  weeds  from  the 
plants,  and  after  one  year  transplant 
them  where  they  are  to  grow.  Cut 
them  off  two  buds  above  the  ground 
in  all  cases  when  shrubs  or  stools  are 
wanted.  The  tops  may  be  used  for 
cuttings,  which  make  handsomer 
trees    than   layers,   and   form   much 


42  SEED. 

larger  roots.  Cuttings  are  quite 
sure,  if  treated  as  I  have  directed. 
Single  eyes,  or  cuttings  of  two  eyes, 
make  the  best  trees  with  fine  large 
roots  and  numerous  branches. 

Mulberry  trees  are  often  buried 
too  early  in  the  fall,  before  the  sap  is 
still,  and  before  the  ground  is  cold  to 
the  proper  depth.  In  such  a  case, 
they  become  heated  and  spoiled. 
Let  them  remain  till  there  is  danger 
of  the  ground  freezing  too  hard  to 
dig.  Make  a  trench  from  two  to 
four  feet  deep  in  a  dry  soil,  put  a 
layer  of  trees  a  foot  or  two  thick, 
and  then  throw  on  the  soil,  filling 
well  the  space  between  the  roots 
and  branches.  Raise  the  earth  to  a 
point  to  turn  off  the  water.     Plajit 


SEED.  43 


them  as  you  take  them  out.  They 
must  not  be  exposed  long  to  the  air 
after  being  taken  out.  Cuttings 
often  fail  in  consequence. 


44 


EGGS    AND    HATCHING. 


It  is  highly  important  that  the 
eggs  should  be  of  the  best  quality 
and  that  they  should  have  been  care- 
fully kept.  Many  of  the  diseases  of 
the  worms  may  be  traced  to  the  egg 
and  the  coming  forth  from  it.  Eggs 
are  often  kept  in  damp  places,  and 
contract  mould.  If  they  hatch  they 
are  not  so  healthy  as  when  kept  cold 
and  dry. 

Foreign  authors  tell  us  we  must 
not  let  the  eggs  freeze,  and  that  this 
will  certainly  kill  them.  There  can 
be  certainly  no  advantage  in  letting 


EGGS    AND    HATCHING.  45 

them  freeze,  but  it  is  well  to  know 
whether  accidental  freezing  will  des- 
troy them,  in  order  that  we  may 
govern  ourselves  accordingly.  To 
test  the  matter,  in  the  summer  of 
1832  I  put  a  miller  on  the  shutter 
of  my  green -house,  on  the  north  side. 
She  deposited  her  eggs,  a  full  com- 
plement ;  they  remained  on  that 
shutter  through  the  summer  and 
winter,  exposed  to  all  the  storms. 
The  shutter  was  taken  down  every 
day  and  was  frequently  covered  with 
snow  and  ice.  The  thermometer 
hanging  on  the  same  shutter,  stood 
several  mornings  at  18  and  22  de- 
grees below  zero,  Farenheit,  j^et  ev- 
ery e^g,  save  six,  which  were  crush- 
ed, hatched  with  the  first  buds  of  the 
5 


46  EGGS    AND    HATCHING. 

white  mulberry.  The  worms  were 
healthy  and  vigorous  and  made  fine 
cocoons.  I  should  say  that  the  mil- 
lions of  eggs,  which  have  been  lost 
within  a  year  or  two,  have  been  lost 
from  the  dampness  and  confined  air 
of  the  ice-house  or  cellar.  When 
brought  forth  to  hatch,  they  have 
been  brought  suddenly  from  the  ice 
to  75  or  80  degrees  of  heat.  The 
result  was  that  the  worms  died  in 
the  egg  or  soon  after  leaving  it ;  or 
perhaps  that  they  lingered  till  the 
third  change. 

The  eggs  should  be  brought  grad- 
ually to  the  warm  air.  We  have  on- 
ly  to   expose    the   paper   or   cloth* 

*  I  never  could  imagine  why  the   French  re- 


EGGS    AND    HATCHING.  47 

gradually  to  the  air  of  the  hatching 
room,  and  about  the  sixth  or  seventh 
day  the  black  heads  of  the  worms 
may  be  seen  through  the  shell. 
Tender  leaves  should  be  placed 
round  the  edge  of  the  paper  to  pre- 
vent the  worms  going  over.  They 
will  collect  on  the  leaves,  and  each 
day's  hatching  will  be  finished  about 


quire  us  *'  to  scrape  the  eggs  from  the  papers — 
wash  them  in  ivint,''  and  make  the  poor  little 
fellows  earn  their  first  meal  by  climbing  through 
small  holes  pierced  in  paper.  I  have  seen  yan- 
kee  recommendations  of  the  same  course. 
What  possible  reasons  they  have  for  it  I  know 
not,  but  I  do  know  that  they  hatch  better  when 
left  on  the  papers.  The  worm  has  something 
by  which  to  help  itself  in  coming  out,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  egg  being  glued  to  the  cloth. 


48  EGGS    AND    HATCHING. 

10  o'clock,  A.  M.  They  come  forth 
from  sunrise  to  about  that  time  each 
morning.  Keep  the  loorms  of  each  daifs 
hatching  by  themselves  ;  the  importance 
of  doing  this  you  will  realize  when 
feeding,  as  they  will  go  through  with 
their  changes,  about  the  same  time,  if 
equally  fed.  Should  worms  of  the 
first  day  become  mixed  with  those 
of  the  third  day,  it  will  be  a  source 
of  trouble  and  annoyance  throughout 
the  whole  course.     Try  it. 

I  have  raised  worms  in  the  open 
air  till  nearly  grown,  but  they  were 
taken  by  birds.  The  eggs  were 
pinned  upon  the  leaves.  They 
hatched,  and  escaped  all  the  storms 
of  thunder  and  rain,  till  the  third 
change,   when   the    birds   destroyed 


EGGS    AND    HATCHING.  49 

them.  It  can  be  no  object  to  raise 
worms  in  the  open  air,  (I  have  no 
doubt  they  can  be  so  raised,)  as  the 
silk  will  not  be  fine.  Good  silk  is 
not  raised  in  the  open  air  in  any 
country.  A  coarse  article  is  thus 
raised  in  China ; — such  as  the  slate 
pongees  are  made  of.  But  all  the 
fine  silk  is  raised  under  shelter. 


50 


FEEDING. 


We  have  now  come  to  an  impor- 
tant part  of  our  subject.  And  I 
would  here  remark  that  although  the 
raising  of  silt  is  perfectly  simple,  a 
thing  which  any  child  may  do,  yet 
our  good  or  ill  success,  our  profit  or 
loss,  will  depend  on  the  attention  we 
give  to  this  wonderful  insect,  during 
its  short  life.  The  period  of  its  ex- 
istence as  a  worm,  may  be  from 
twenty  to  fifty  days,  according  to  our 
own  diligence  or  neglect.  It  will 
be  found  that  the  quantity  of  silk 
will  vary  in  like  proportion. 


FEEDING.  51 

Experience  teaches  us,  that  fre- 
quent feeding  is  the  best.  If  we 
leave  them  four  or  five  hours,  and 
then  feed  them  profusely,  we  endan- 
ger their  lives  by  overfeeding. 
They  will  do  well  if  fed  four  times 
in  twent3^-four  hours,  but  they  will 
do  better  with  eight  or  ten  meals. 

When  a  sufficient  number  are  fed 
to  make  it  an  object,  it  will  be  well 
to  feed  them  during  the  night,  A 
change  of  hands  from  day  to  night 
would  make  the  work  easy.  Time 
and  silk  would  be  gained  by  it. 
The  best  cocoons  I  ever  saw  were 
raised  this  year,  (1838)  in  eighteen 
days,  from  what  is  called  the  six 
weeks  worm.  The  worms  were  atten- 
ded day  and  night.  The  shortest  day- 


52  FEEDING. 

fed  ones  were  fed  from  twenty-four 
to  thirty  days,  and  the  cocoons  were 
not  so  good.  The  Chinese  produce 
nearly  twice  as  much  silk  from  an 
ounce  of  eggs  as  the  French  or  Ital- 
ians, mainly  by  night  feeding  and  con- 
stant attendance. 

Cocoons  may  be  raised  with  but 
very  little  care  or  attention.  1  write 
for  those  who  I  hope  will  make  a 
business  of  raising  them,  and  if  this 
business  is  worth  pursuing  at  all,  it 
deserves  the  greatest  attention.  It 
is  the  neglectful  who  may  tell  you 
that  you  cannot  raise  silk  in  this 
country.  Perhaps  they  have  tried  a 
few  thousand  worms,  and  in  conse- 
quence of  neglect  have  lost  them  at 
the  moment  of  moulting. 


FEEDING.  53 

A  sufficient  supply  of  leaves  for 
two  or  three  days'  consumption 
should  be  on  hand  for  the  last  ages 
of  the  worm.  Leaves  will  keep  a 
week  in  a  dark  cool  cellar,  with  a 
brick  floor,  if  turned  occasionally  to 
prevent  heating.  Leaves  that  have 
remained  for  several  days  in  the  dark 
cellar,  must  be  spread  in  the  light 
about  an  hour  before  feeding. 

I  would  not  recommend  the  use 
of  w^et  leaves,  although  I  have 
used  them  occasionally,  and  per- 
ceived no  bad  effect  from  it.  Much 
depends  on  the  leaf  we  use,  and 
on  the  wetness  or  dryness  of  the 
season.  It  is  a  point  which  all  can 
decide  for  themselves,  although  one 
season  will  not  determine  it.     I  con- 


54  FEEDING. 

sider  it  unsafe  as  a  general  practice, 
and  should  suppose  that  the  silk 
would  be  affected  by  it  as  it  is  by 
leaves  from  a  wet  soil.  Leaves  will 
heat  if  pressed  closely  in  bags  or 
baskets  more  than  an  hour  or  two. 
This  must  be  avoided,  as  heated  or 
fermented  leaves  will  destroy  the 
worms. 

The  mulberry  leaf  is  composed 
of  five  substances — the  fibrous  sub- 
stance, coloring  matter,  water,  sach- 
arine,  and  the  resinous  substance. 
The  three  first,  excepting  that  which 
in  part  composes  the  body  of  the 
worm,  cannot  be  said  to  be  nutritive. 
The  sacharine  matter  nourishes  the 
insect.  The  resinous  substance  is 
that    which    fills    the    silk    vessels. 


FEEDING.  55 

The  mulberry  grown  on  moist  rich 
soils  contains  too  much  water  in  pro- 
portion to  the  resinous  substance. 
Consequently  the  worm  must  con- 
sume a  larger  quantity  of  leaf  to  fill 
the  silk  vessels,  and  is  thus  subject- 
ed to  disease  and  death. 

A  superabundaiice  of  moisture  in 
any  way  is  detrimental  to  the  ivorm, 
and  to  the  quality  of  the  silk.  It  is 
for  this  reason  that  silk  cannot  be 
raised  in  England.  The  soil  and 
climate  are  too  humid  for  the  tree, 
and  consequently  for  the  worm. 
They  have  not  the  bright  sunshine 
that  suits  the  mulberry,  and  renders 
it  productive  of  silk.  Hence  Eng- 
land will  be  our  best  market  for  raw 
silk  and  must  remain  so. 


56  FEEDING. 

The  worm  evaporates  an  immense 
quantity  of  moisture  in  the  dryest 
climate,  and  requires  not  only  dry 
food,  but  a  dry  atmosphere,  and  a 
free  circulation  of  air. 

Silk  worms  breathe  by  several  ap- 
ertures near  the  feet,  and  must  not 
be  crowded  on  the  shelves,  as  respi- 
ration will  be  difficult  and  diseases 
occur.  Stagnant  damp  air  is  most  to 
be  avoided  in  feeding  worms.  It 
may  be  remedied  by  a  simple  hot 
air  furnace  in  the  cellar.  This  will 
create  a  circulation  of  air  while  it 
dissipates  the  moisture.  The  only 
use  of  a  furnace  is  in  case  of  protrac- 
ted rains,  when  the  cocoonry  must 
necessarily  be  closed  and  the  air  be- 
come damp  and  stagnant.     A  mode- 


d: 


FEEDING.  57 

rate  fire  in  such  cases  (in  a  furnace, 
not  a  stove)  revives  the  worms  and 
improves  their  appetite.  It  is  par- 
ticularly desirable,  if  a  storm  occurs 
while  they  are  moiiltmg,  which  is 
the  most  critical  time  with  them. 
With  a  plenty  of  good  dry  food  and 
fresh  air,  with  the  wind  from  the 
west  and  northwest,  the  worms  will 
be  sure  to  thrive. 

It  is  to  the  dry  north  and  north- 
west winds,  and  the  abundance  of 
electricity  in  the  air,  that  we  may  in 
a  great  measure  attribute  the  singu- 
lar success  of  the  silk  worm  in  this 
country,  without  artificial  heat,  and 
the  superior  quantity  as  well  as  qual- 
ity of  the  silk.  It  is  a  fact,  that  from 
a  given  quantity  of  cocoons,  one  third 
6 


58  FEEDING. 

more  silk  may  be  reeled  than  in 
France  or  Italy  ; — a  difference  suffi- 
cient in  itself  to  counterbalance  the 
cheapness  of  labor  in  those  countries. 
The  loss  of  worms  is  not  one  half  as 
much  as  in  those  countries. 

The  culture  of  silk  then  is  for  us  a 
simple  matter,  too  much  so  you  may 
think  to  write  so  much  about.  But 
simple  as  it  is,  our  success  will  de- 
pend on  the  observance  of  a  few  sim- 
ple rules,  which  I  shall  in  a  plain 
way  give  in  their  proper  places. 
Let  no  one  despise  them  because 
they  are  simple.  There  is  nothing 
mysterious  about  the  matter.  Al- 
though men  of  high  reputation  for 
science,  in  Europe,  have  devoted 
much  time  to  scientific  experiments 


FEEDING.  59 

and  have  written  volumes  upon  the 
subject, — still,  as  it  regards  the 
American  System,  their  writings  will 
benefit  us  but  little. 

Our  system  must  vary  materially 
from  that  of  Europe  or  China.  Our 
country  is  extensive,  its  soil  and  cli- 
mate are  various.  Its  people  are  too 
active  and  enterprising  to  devote 
their  time  and  attention  to  the  petty 
details  of  foreign  authors ;  nor  is  this 
necessary. 

I  do  not  say  that  these  details  may 
not  be  useful  for  other  countries,  but 
that  they  are  not  necessary  for  us. 
And  if  by  these  few  pages  I  shall  be 
able  so  far  to  remove  the  mystery 
which  has  been  for  centuries  design- 
edly thrown  over  the  culture  of  silk. 


60  FEEDING. 

as  to  induce  our  farmers  generally  to 
engage  earnestly  in  the  business,  I 
shall  have  accomplished  the  purpose 
for  which  I  have  consented  thus  to 
come  before  the  public,  in  the  face 
of  volumes,  written  by  scientific 
men, — men  who  are  deserving  of  all 
praise  for  their  exertions  and  for  the 
satisfactory  results  of  their  experi- 
ments. 

These  pages  are  merely  offered  as 
the  result  of  eight  years  experience, 
and  close  study  and  observation  of 
the  silk  worm  and  mulberry,  in  this 
country,  attending  the  production 
not  only  of  raw  silk,  but  the  various 
articles  of  manufacture.  This  expe- 
rience has  been  confirmed  by  a  per- 
sonal inspection  of  the  most  celebra- 


FEEDING.  61 

ted  silk  districts  of  France  and  Italy. 
I  must  beg  pardon  of  my  readers 
while  I  boast  of  being  clothed  in 
part  with  the  richest  silks,  the  pro- 
duct of  my  own  soil  and  looms. 

It  is  to  this  production  of  raw  silk 
for  exportation  that  I  would  call  the 
attention  of  my  countrymen.  There 
is  not,  in  my  view  of  the  case,  one 
single  obstacle  in  the  way  of  complete 
success,  and  I  now  say,  if  our  farmers 
are  true  to  their  own  interests,  the 
amount  of  raw  silk  for  exportation, 
will  be  in  a  few  years,  equal  in  val- 
ue to  the  present  cotton  crop  of  the 
United  States.  The  field  is  open  to 
all,  from  Maine  to  Mexico.  We  are 
often  met  by  the  bugbear  of  the 
"cheap  labor  of  other  countries," 
6* 


62  FEEDING. 

without  considering  the  difference  in 
climate,  and  in  the  state  of  society, 
and  without  regard  to  facts,  which 
after  all  are  the  best  arguments. 

It  is  an  ascertained/i^c/  that  a  mer- 
chantable article  of  raw  silk  may  be 
produced  for  market,  at  a  cost  not 
exceeding  one  dollar  and  fifty  cents 
per  pound,  and  that  the  silk  of  this 
country  is  superior  to  most,  and 
equal  to  any,  in  the  world. 

I  speak  from  experience  in  regard 
to  the  superior  quality  of  American 
silk,  and  that  experience  is  confirm- 
ed by  the  opinions  of  the  first  silk 
manufacturers  of  France  and  Eng- 
land. I  have  used  the  silks  of 
France,  Italy,  Turkey,  China  and 
Bengal,  in  the  progress  of  manufac- 


FEEDING.  63 

tures,  and  give  the  American  the 
preference  by  twenty-five  per  cent. 

We  have  only  to  produce  a  suffi- 
cient quantity  for  trial  in  the  Lon- 
don market,  to  prove  that  we  shall 
compete  successfully  with  countries 
where  men  live  on  a  few  cents' 
worth  of  rice  per  day. 

It  will  certainly  be  cause  for  re- 
joicing, when  our  free  and  happy 
farmers  can  compete  with  the  degra- 
ded and  miserable  population  of  oth- 
er countries,  and  that  too  from  lands 
already  exhausted  by  the  culture 
of  the  vilest  of  weeds — Tobacco. 

In  connection  with  raising  silk  for 
exportation,  I  would  here  speak  of 
tha  great  importance  of  a  uniformity 
of   reelings    both  as   it  regards   the 


64  FEEDING. 

quality  of  the  work,  and  the  length 
of  the  skein.  This  matter  is  regula- 
ted by  law  in  Italy, — particularly  in 
Piedmont,  which  is  one  cause  for  the 
superior  reputation  of  that  silk  in 
the  market. 

Silk,  to  be  fitted  for  the  finest  fab- 
rics, should  be  reeled  on  a  machine, 
simple  in  itself,  but  of  great  accuracy 
of  proportion  and  workmanship. 
With  such  an  instrument,  if  we  make 
a  good  beginning,  there  will  be  no 
difficulty.  But  if  we  allow  ourselves 
to  be  attracted  by  the  numerous  in- 
ventions that  are  daily  offered  for 
the  purpose,  we  shall  be  led  into 
great  confusion,  and  occasion  in  the 
end  much  loss. 

I  trust  that  the  inventors  of  ma- 


FEEDING.  65 

chines  for  reeling  will  do  me  the 
justice  to  believe  that  I  am  actuated 
by  no  other  motive  than  the  good 
of  the  cause  and  the  country  in  the 
remarks  I  may  make  ;  and  I  think 
they  will,  if  they  do  not  now,  agree 
with  me  in  saying,  that  we  can  do  no 
better,  than  adopt  the  best  construc- 
ted reel  of  Italy  for  our  model,  par- 
ticularly for  raw  silk. 

I  would  have  it  understood  here 
and  elsewhere  that  my  remarks  re- 
late to  the  production  of  a  merchan- 
table article  of  raw  silk.  Of  the  do- 
mestic manufacture  of  sewings  on 
any  machine  I  have  nothing  to  say, 
other  than  that  to  spin  the  cocoons, 
without  selection,  into  sewings,  is 
the  greatest  extravagance,  as  the  raw 


66  FEEDING. 

material  is  worth  more  than  the 
manufactured.  But  in  regard  to  the 
reeling  of  silk  I  am  sure  I  cannot  be 
too  urgent  in  insisting  upon  a  unifor- 
mity  of  style  from  one  end  of  the 
Union  to  the  other. 

When  American  raw  silk  is  offer- 
ed in  Europe,  let  it  be  understood 
that  it  will  fit  the  machinery  used 
for  the  Italian  silk,  and  that  a  bale 
of  a  certain  number  may  be  depend- 
ed on.  None  but  manufacturers  can 
appreciate  the  evils  of  five  or  six 
qualities  of  silk  in  the  same  bale  and 
as  many  sizes  in  the  skeins.  The 
reeling  is  the  foundation  of  the  whole 
business,  and  on  its  good  or  ill  per- 
formance, wdll  depend  the  value  of 
the  silk. 


FEEDING.  67 

Of  such  importance  do  I  consider 
it,  that  I  shall  propose  in  another 
place,  or  at  another  time,  a  plan  for  a 
filature,  open  to  all  who  would  learn 
it.  The  art  is  simple  and  may  be 
acquired  by  a  few  lessons.  But 
practice  makes  perfect,  and  when  the 
first  principles  are  understood,  time 
and  practice  only,  will  perfect  it. 

It  is,  and  ever  will  be,  in  vain  to 
talk  of  "the  inventive  genius  of 
Americans,  doing  away  with  the  dif- 
ficulty of  reeling."  This  we  are 
told  is  already  accomplished,  and  we 
are  told  that  still  greater  improve- 
ments may  be  expected. 

Now,  the  only  difficulty  that  ex- 
ists, or  ever  has  existed  in  reeling  is 
to  keep  up  the  uniform  size  of  the 


68  FEEDING. 

threads ;  which  difficulty  arises  from 
the  fact,  that  the  silk  worm  makes  a 
difference  of  full  one  half  in  the  size 
of  the  thread,  from  the  commence- 
ment to  the  finishing  of  the  cocoon. 

Unless  we  can  teach  the  worm  a 
new  lesson,  we  may  rest  assured 
there  will  be  no  machine  to  reel 
silk,  other  than  the  simple  reel,  and 
the  nimble  fingers,  of  the  most  beau- 
tiful machines  in  the  world, — our 
own  fair  country-women. 

The  reel  itself  is  but  the  common 
cross  band  reel.  The  traverse  bar  is 
the  principal  thing,  which  is  design- 
ed to  imitate  the  motion  of  the  worm 
in  winding  the  cocoon.  There  are 
various  ways  of  obtaining  that  mo- 
tion, but  experience  has  proved  that 


FEEDING.  69 

the  proportions  and  principle  of  the 
best  Italian  reel,  should  be  our 
model. 

The  reel  of  Italy  is  all  I  would 
imitate  in  the  silk  culture  of  that 
country.  I  shall  not  presume  so  far 
to  libel  the  good  sense  and  intelli- 
gence of  my  readers,  as  to  give  the 
numerous  details  which  regulate  ev- 
ery movement  of  French  and  Italian 
culturists  in  every  age  and  change 
of  the  worm,  and  on  which  their  au- 
thors insist,  but  which  experience 
has  proved  to  be  useless  to  us.  Er- 
rors have  been  committed,  and  use- 
less expense  has  been  incurred,  by 
following  directions  which  were  in- 
tended for  quite  a  different  world 
7 


70  FEEDING. 

from  ours,  so  far  as  the  culture  of 
silk  is  concerned. 

As  the  mulberry  leaf  is  the  foun- 
dation, so  will  the  well  reeled,  beau- 
tiful hale  of  raio  silk  be  the  cap 
sheaf,  of  our  labors.  And  I  trust  I 
may  be  borne  with,  if  I  should  be 
thought  to  dwell  too  long  on  both, 
or  if  in  these  pages,  I  often  repeat 
the  same  things  in  different  connec- 
tions. I  shall  trust  to  a  few  sim- 
ple directions,  given  to  those  who 
are  ever  ready  to  comprehend  them, 
and  able  to  fill  up  the  outlines. 

To  return  then,  to  the  importance 
of  good  reeling,  I  will  here  mention 
the  evils  that  attend  bad  reeling,  and 
that    exist  in   most  of    the    foreign 


FEEDING.  71 

silk,  particularly  China,  Bengal,  and 
Broussa,  and  some  Italian. 

One  great  evil  is,  that  the  threads 
are  permitted  to  rim  nearly  out 
before  other  ends  are  joined,  so 
that  in  an  ordinary  skein,  there  are 
some  threads  of  from  three  to  jive  and 
others  of  from  twenty  to  twenty-Jive 
cocoons,  which  it  is  impossible  to 
separate,  and  of  which  it  is  impossi- 
ble to  manufacture  a  good  article. 
Consequently  the  silk  commands  but 
a  low  price,  and  perhaps,  would  not 
sell  at  all,  if  better  could  be  had.  It 
must  be  evident  then,  our  labor  is 
thrown  away,  if  we  allow  the  silk  to 
be  carelessly  reeled^  as  the  best  co- 
coons are  on  a  level  with  the  poorest, 
if  thus  thrown  together. 


72  FEEDING. 

I  would  not  make  the  reeling  diiR- 
cult.  It  is  not  so — far  from  it.  But 
I  would  represent  the  evils  of  bad 
reeling,  that  we  may  avoid  them. 
Let  us  take  a  high  stand  at  the  out- 
set, and  aim  to  equal,  if  not  excel, 
the  best.  If  Vv^e  come  short,  I  shall 
be  disappointed. 

Another  evil  to  be  avoided  is  the 
throwing  on  of  ends  or  rather  not 
joining  them  in  reeling,  which  makes 
the  spooling  troublesome  and  liable 
to  waste. 

Good  bright,  smooth  silk,  is  known 
by  looking  down  the  skein  against 
the  light.  Every  imperfection  will 
be  seen.  And  if  a  roughness  appears 
in  the  raw  silk,  it  will  be  more  ap- 
parent when  the  gum  is  boiled  out. 


FEEDING.  73 

The  roughness  is  caused  in  some 
cases  by  too  hot  water  in  reeling,  but 
oftener  by  the  soil  on  which  the  tree 
is  grown.  A  rich  moist  soil  will 
produce  it,  or  a  too  luxuriant  growth 
on  any  soil.  I  have  seen  silk  from  a 
moist  soil,  which  has  baffled  all  the 
art  of  the  dyer.  No  good  color  could 
be  fixed  on  it ;  nothing  but  a  dull 
brown.  The  silk  had  the  appear- 
ance of  cotton.  My  readers  will 
here  perceive  the  importance  of  a 
dry  soil  for  silk,  and  a  dry  leaf, — dry 
in  its  nature  and  free  from  external 
moisture. 

After  much  wandering,  we  will 
return  to  the  feeding.  We  are  di- 
rected to  "  chop  the  leaves  small  for 
the  worms."     For  this  I  can  see  no 


74  FEEDING. 

good  reason,  but  rather  many  against 
it.  I  do  not  practice  it  myself,  nor 
do  I  recommend  it.  On  this  point 
all  can  decide  for  themselves.  My 
worms  chop  the  leaves  quite  fast 
enough,  and  I  think  do  better  on  en- 
tire leaves  or  twigs. 

When  the  mulberry  branches 
cease  to  be  worth  six  cents  an  inch,  I 
propose  to  feed  with  branches,  as 
they  come  from  the  tree.  I  am  per- 
suaded that  this  practice  will  be  gen- 
erally adopted  in  this  country.  It 
has  many  advantages,  some  of  which 
I  will  enumerate. 

In  the  first  place  the  foliage  may 
be  gathered  in  much  less  time.  It 
will  keep  better  till  consumed.  The 
same  saving  of  time  is  gained  in  feed- 


FEEDING.  75 

ing,  and  much  more  in  cleaning  off 
the  frames.  The  worms  mount  the 
twigs  while  feeding,  and  remain  aft- 
erward, having  more  advantage  of 
the  air  and  more  space  than  on  a  flat 
surface.  The  leaf  will  be  entirely 
consumed,  leaving  nothing  but  dry 
branches  to  remove.  The  ordure 
of  the  worms  will  fall  through  to  the 
shelf,  themselves  entirely  free  from 
it  on  the  branches.  They  will  have 
a  better  chance  to  be  equally  fed  ; 
and  if  this  be  not  attended  to,  the  ill 
fed  ones  will  lag  behind.  But  the 
greatest  advantage  of  all  is,  that  they 
need  not  be  removed  from  the  frame 
from  the  time  they  are  put  on  to  it 
till  they  mount  to  wind  the  cocoon. 
This  will  be  a  vast  saving  of  labor. 


76  FEEDING. 

and  prevent  the  handling  of  the 
worms,  which  is  always  to  be  avoid- 
ed. As  the  branches  are  laid  on, 
they  should  be  laid  first  crosswise 
and  then  lengthwise  with  the  frame, 
making  thus  a  sort  of  net-work, 
which  can  be  easily  separated  in  lay- 
ers when  you  clean  them  off.  The 
worms  will  be  more  healthy,  partic- 
ularly in  moulting  time,  as  in  the 
usual  way  of  feeding  with  leaves, 
they  retire  under  the  litter,  and  re- 
main there  till  they  change,  where 
they  must  breathe  a  bad  air,  and  in 
many  cases  be  smothered  by  the  ac- 
cumulation of  matter. 

I  may  as  well  mention  here  the 
system  of  cutting  the  branches.  Sup- 
posing your  trees  to   stand   ten  or 


FEEDING.  77 

twelve  feet  high  at  the  feeding  time 
— cut  them  within  three  or  four  feet 
of  the  ground,  making  clean  work  as 
you  go,  cutting  the  branches  within 
two  or  three  inches  of  the  body. 

The  tree  thus  trimmed  must  be 
left  to  itself  the  remainder  of  the 
season.  It  will  produce  a  new  head 
to  be  taken  off  the  next  spring  or 
feeding  time.  They  will  be  thus 
kept  within  reach,  and  always  hand- 
sonler  and  better  than  when  stripped 
of  their  leaves.  If  cut  too  low,  the 
lower  leaves  are  useless,  from  sand 
and  dirt  thrown  up  by  showers. 
The  branches  when  cut  should  be 
laid  in  the  cellar,  where  if  wet  they 
will  soon  dry.     After  being  fed  from 


78  FEEDING. 

they  may  be  planted  in  furrows,  and 
will,  many  of  them,  grow. 

I  have  before  expressed  my  views 
on  frequent  feeding  and  on  the  ad- 
vantage of  feeding  in  the  night.  I 
shall  conclude  all  I  have  to  say  on 
this  subject  in  a  few  words.  Feed 
the  worms  regularly,  frequently, 
and  as  abundantly  as  circumstances 
require.  Let  them  always  have  as 
much  as  they  will  eat  with  a  good 
appetite,  always  observing  that  when 
the  time  of  moulting  arrives,  they 
will  cease  to  eat  and  retire  among 
the  branches  or  leaves.  They  must 
then  be  left  quiet  till  they  revive, 
which  will  be  in  about  twenty-four 
hours.  When  well  aroused,  clean 
them  off  and  feed  as  before,  and  con- 


FEEDING.  79 

tinue  to  do  so  through  every  age. 
But  for  the  last  week  make  your  cal- 
culations for  leaves,  as  for  several 
yokes  of  oxen,  as  more  will  be  re- 
quired than  in  the  whole  previous 
ages.  And  now  for  a  week  or  ten 
days  you  must  be  active,  for  your 
own  labor  is  nearly  over,  and  that  of 
the  worms  about  to  commence.  You 
will  soon  see  them  looking  about  for 
a  room  to  retire  in,  as  they  do  not 
like  to  be  seen  making  their  cocoons 
in  public.  You  will  therefore  pro- 
vide for  them  when  you  see  them 
raise  their  heads  from  the  fresh 
leaves  and  move  about. 

The  silk  worm  has  a  very  useful 
peculiarity,  that  it  never  wanders 
from  the    shelf   on  which  it  is  first 


80  FEEDING. 

placed,  except  in  case  of  disease,  or 
when  ready  to  moult.  It  never 
moves  but  to  its  food.  Perhaps  dur- 
ing its  life  it  does  not  move  over 
three  feet  of  space.  What  could  we 
do  with  them,  did  they  wander  about 
like  other  caterpillars  ? — But  we  left 
them  looking  for  a  frame,  or  bundle 
of  clean  straw,  which  is  quite  as 
good,  and  more  convenient ;  and  al- 
though I  shall  show  in  a  plate  how 
to  arrange  them,  1  will  say  here,  that 
good  clean  rye  or  wheat  straw,  with 
the  heads  cut  off,  and  tied  in  bun- 
dles as  big  as  your  arm,  placed  along 
the  shelves,  reaching  from  the  top  to 
the  bottom,  will  be  well  filled  with 
cocoons,  which  will  be  easily  gath- 
ered. 


FEEDING.  81 

I  have  seen  many  kinds  of  mounting 
frames  recommended,  one  of  which 
is  made  by  boring  holes  in  a  plank, 
with  a  two  inch  auger.  But  I  think 
I  see  you  with  one  thousand  bushels 
of  cocoons  to  gather,  punching  them 
out  one  by  one  with  your  finger,  and 
I  think  you  will  get  through  about 
the  time  of  feeding  next  year  ;  per- 
haps some  of  them  will  be  out  of 
shape,  and  flat  cocoons  will  not  reel 
well.  Every  thing  in  the  way  of 
mounting  frames,  should  be  calcula- 
ted for  facility  in  gathering  the  co- 
coons. More  time  will  be  required 
to  gather,  than  to  raise  them  accord- 
ing to  some  plans.  If  you  must  have 
a  frame,  there  can  be  none  better 
8 


82  FEEDING. 

than  one  I  have  described  in  the  co- 
coonry. 

As  we  left  the  worms  going  up  in- 
to the  straw,  we  will  leave  them 
there  about  eight  days  after  they 
have  finished  the  cocoon,  when  they 
may  be  taken  down  and  reeled  im- 
mediately, or  put  in  the  sun  to  stifle 
the  chrysalis.  Two  or  three  days 
exposure  to  the  sun  will  be  effectual, 
and  dispel  the  moisture  ;  which  is 
essential,  as  they  will  heat  and  spoil 
if  put  away  damp. 

There  are  various  means  of  stifling 
the  chrysalis,  but  the  sun  is  the  best, 
and  is  happily  free  for  the  use  of  all, 
as  it  is  the  safest.  In  unskilful  hands 
the  cocoons  may  be,  and  often  are. 


FEEDING.  83 

spoiled  by  too  much  heat.  I  could 
mention  other  ways  of  doing  it,  but 
I  will  not.  The  sun's  warmth  is 
good  enough  and  I  shall  not  attempt 
to  suggest  any  thing  better. 

Before  putting  the  cocoons  in 
the  sun,  you  should  gather  a  suffi- 
cient number  of  the  best  for  eggs. 
Two  hundred  and  fifty  will  produce 
one  ounce  of  eggs,  or  forty  thousand. 
We  cannot  distinguish  with  exact- 
ness the  male  from  the  female  in  the 
cocoon.  That  pointed  at  one  end 
and  drawn  in  at  the  middle  contains 
the  male  ; — that  which  contains  the 
female  is  nearly  alike  at  both  ends. 
Lay  them  away  where  no  mice  can 
come.  Mice  destroy  from  the  egg  to 
the  miller,  cocoons  and  raw  silk  not 


84  FEEDING. 

excepted.  In  about  fourteen  days 
the  millers  will  come  forth  and  cou- 
ple. They  should  not  be  left  togeth- 
er more  than  twelve  hours.  Sepa- 
rate them  gently,  and  after  the  fe- 
males have  discharged  the  brownish 
substance,  put  them  on  a  clean  white 
paper  or  cloth  in  a  dark  place.  Af- 
ter laying  the  eggs,  the  millers  die, 
and  thus  ends  this  wonderful  insect, 
— ends  but  to  begin  again  its  course 
another  year. 

Is  it  not  curious  and  wonderful, 
that  the  worm,  after  its  feeding  and 
changes  should  wind  itself  into  its 
air-tight  tomb,  and  then  undergo  a 
complete  change  and  come  out  white 
and  pure,  and  after  providing  for  the 
continuation    of    its   species,   should 


FEEDING.  85 

die,  without  taking  food  from  the  day 
of  commencing  the  cocoon  7 

You  have  followed  me  thus  far, 
with  some  skipping,  and  I  have  said 
nothing  of  the  manner  of  cleaning 
the  frames.  They  certainly  should 
not  have  been  left  all  this  time  with- 
out cleaning ; — so  if  you  will  just 
lift  up  the  top  layer  of  branches,  or 
leaves,  where  the  worms  are,  I  will 
pull  out  the  remainder  and  put  un- 
der a  clean  newspaper,  and  jo\x  will 
now  let  them  down  again  without 
disturbing  them.  The  next  shelf 
you  must  have  some  other  person  to 
help  you  clean,  as  I  have  a  cocoon- 
ry  yet  to  build,  and  some  other  mat- 
ters to  attend  to. 
8* 


86 


COCOONRY. 


As  we  have  been  some  time  feed- 
ing worms,  we  will  take  a  view  of 
the  buildings,  previous  to  reeling 
our  cocoons,  and  although  any  vacant 
room  will  answer  a  good  purpose, 
yet  I  hope  some  of  my  readers  will 
need  ext,ensive  accommodations  for 
worms.  A  cheap  rough  building 
will  answer,  but  it  should  be  conve- 
nient and  planned  with  reference  to 
ventilation. 

I  have  one  two  hundred  feet  Ions: 
by  twenty -six  feet  wide  and  two  sto- 
ries high,  which  will  accommodate 


COCOONRY.  87 

two  millions  of  worms.  It  is  set  on 
brick  pillars  of  three  feet  high,  ex- 
cept the  ends,  which  have  cellars  for 
the  leaves,  and  a  furnace.  In  the 
floor  under  each  frame,  a  board  is 
saw^ed  out,  eighteen  inches  by- 
twelve,  with  a  strip  of  board  for  a 
handle.  These  are  easily  removed. 
The  use  of  them  will  be  apparent 
before  we  get  through.  The  point 
of  the  roof  is  raised  about  eight  inch- 
es,— making  a  projection  of  three 
feet,  and  has  the  appearance  of  a 
double  roof.  Lids  are  hung  wuth 
leather  hinges  every  three  feet,  to 
be  opened  and  shut  by  cords.  The 
holes  in  the  floor  being  open,  and 
those  in  the  roof — a  free  circulation 
goes  on,   aided   by   another   row  of 


88  COCOONRY. 

holes  about  midway,  or  even  with 
the  second  floor.  These  are  made 
by  pressing  off  a  board  about  three 
inches  from  the  side.  Let  this  space 
be  closed  with  lids,  which  by  means 
of  buttons  underneath,  may  be  raised 
in  a  moment. 

I  have  said  that  it  was  two  stories 
— it  is  so,  as  far  as  two  rows  of  win- 
dows make  it  so.  The  rafters  are 
laid  across  for  a  second  floor,  but 
they  are  only  boarded,  six  feet  wide 
in  the  center,  and  three  feet  at  the 
sides,  making  a  walk,  or  gallery  for 
coming  at  the  frsimes,  which  must  never 
touch  the  side  walls.  The  object  of 
this  arrangement  is  to  have  as  much 
room  as  possible  under  one  roof  A 
lower  room  is  apt  to  contract  damp- 


COCOONRY.  89 

ness.  Uprights  are  made  of  slit- 
work,  three  inches  square,  and  as  the 
frames  are  three  by  six  feet,  the  up- 
rights are  six  by  six  feet  apart,  with 
slats  nailed  across,  and  accommodate 
two  rows  of  frames  drawing  out  each 
way. 

I  have  used  netting,  and  have  all 
my  frames  fitted  with  it ;  but  I  do 
not  710W  use  it,^  The  same  frame, 
with  millinet  or  grass  cloth,  drawn 
on  at  the  corners,  is  better,  and  may 


*  Netting  is  convenient  when  the  worms  are 
to  be  thinned  out  or  spread  on  clean  frames. 
Lay  a  netted  frame  over  the  worms,  on  which 
spread  leaves.  A  sufficient  number  will  ascend 
to  remove  to  another  place.  The  net  should 
lay  flat  on  the  shelf     Beyond  the  above  pur- 


90  COCOONRY. 

be  taken  off  and  washed  and  put 
away  for  another  season.  Frames 
covered  with  cloth  are  lighter  than 
boards  and  quite  as  cheap,  and  the 
open  spaces  of  the  cloth  admit  the 
air  to  the  litter  beneath  and  prevent 
its  gathering  dampness. 

I  have  mounting  frames,  but  were 
I  to  erect  another  cocoonry,  I  would 
use  straw  in  preference.  The 
frames  are  three  feet  long,  one  and 
a  half  wide,  made  of  inch  stuff.    Two 


pose,  netting  is  of  no  use  whatever.  As  the 
worms  will  not  all  go  up  when  you  would 
change  them,  you  must  gather  the  remain- 
der by  hand,  as  you  would  blackberries. 
They  should  never  be  touched  by  the  hand 
if  it  can  be  avoided. 


COCOONRY.  91 

of  them  are  joined  together,  as  the 
leaves  of  a  book,  leaving  a  space  of 
one  inch  between  them  for  the  co- 
coon. The  outside  of  the  frames  are 
covered  by  common  lath,  with  spaces 
of  half  an  inch.  These  are  placed 
upright  across  the  frame,  about  four 
for  each  frame.  A  large  cocoon- 
ry  requires  a  large  number,  in- 
stead of  which  straw  may  well  be 
used. 

In  so  large  a  building  there  should 
be  a  partition  across  the  center, 
making  the  rooms  one  hundred  feet 
long.  A  room  twenty-six  by  twen- 
ty feet  should  be  finished  off  under 
the  roof  for  a  hatching  room,  for  the 
first  week's  feeding,  and  for  millers, 


92  COCOONRY. 

and  should  be  lathed  and  plastered. 
In  the  cellar  under  each  end  is  a  fur- 
nace for  hot  air,  made  by  enclosing 
a  common  box  stove  in  a  brick  cham- 
ber, six  inches  larger  than  the  stove, 
with  spaces  at  the  bottom  for  the  ad- 
mission of  cold  air,  which  is  admitted 
into  the  room  above  by  a  hole  in  the 
floor  of  two  feet  square.  The  object 
of  this  furnace  is  explained  in  anoth- 
er place.  A  thermometer  will  be 
useful  to  indicate  the  changes.  A 
plate  of  common  salt  will  detect 
dampness,  and  one  of  chloride  of  lime 
will  correct  bad  air  or  smell  in  the 
cocoonry.  If  properly  cleaned  it 
will  smell  of  nothing  but  the  whole- 
some mulberry   leaves.      You  must 


COCOONRY.  93 

not  mention  Tobacco  in  the  presence 
of  silk  worms.  In  regard  to  this 
drug  they  show  good  taste  ;  they  had 
rather  die  than  smell  it. 


94 


REELING. 


I  HAVE  in  another  place  expressed 
my  views  of  the  importance  of  per- 
fect reeling,  and  I  have  said  that  it 
must  be  acquired  by  practice,  A 
few  general  directions  are  all  that 
will  be  necessary  here.  I  hope  at  a 
future  day  to  point  out  a  method,  by 
which  persons  from  all  parts  of  the 
country  may  be  instructed  practical- 
ly and  be  qualified  to  teach  others. 

As  this  little  work  is  calculated  for 
general  information  on  the  subject  of 
silk  culture,  it  will  be  expected  that 
some  directions  will  be  2;iven.     So 


REELING.  95 

far  as  our  own  manufactures  are  con- 
cerned, silk  is  now  sufficiently  well 
reeled ;  and  I  trust  it  will  be  suita- 
ble for  exportation,  with  a  little  more 
experience  and  practice. 

The  water  for  reeling  must  be  soft 
and  free  from  sand  or  dirt.  The  de- 
gree of  heat  must  be  graduated  by 
the  state  of  the  cocoons ;  no  definite 
rule  for  it  can  be  given.  As  a  gene- 
ral rule,  the  water  should  not  boil, 
but  be  kept  nearly  at  the  boiling 
point.  If  the  water  is  too  hot,  the 
silk  will  come  off  in  burrs,  and  it 
must  be  cooled ;  if  too  cold,  the  co- 
coons fly  up  to  the  guide  wires. 

Press  the  cocoons  gently  under  the 
water  with  a  bunch  of  twigs  or 
broom  corn  ;  the  ends  will  adhere  to 


96  REELING. 

it.  After  collecting  a  sufficient  num- 
ber, pull  off  the  coarse  silk  till  it 
runs  clear.  When  another  thread  is 
collected  in  the  same  way,  cross 
them  eight  or  ten  times,  before  going 
to  the  reel.  You  will  then  pass  the 
the  threads  through  the  guide  wires 
to  the  reel,  attaching  them  in  two 
places  for  two  skeins.  Turn  the  reel 
steadily  and  rapidly.  Join  the  ends 
constantly  as  some  run  out  or  break. 
Keep  the  water  clean  by  taking  out 
the  skins  with  a  skimmer.  The  wa- 
ter must  be  changed  twice  a  day. 
The  silk  should  be  left  on  the  reel 
to  dry  rapidly. 

The  most  convenient  way  to  heat 
the  water  is  by  steam.  Make  the 
basin  double,  one  within  the  other, 


REELING.  97 

leaving  a  space  of  an  inch  for  the 
steam  to  pass  in  at  one  end  and  out 
at  the  other.  With  a  stop-cock  in 
the  pipe,  you  may  have  full  com- 
mand of  the  heat  and  regulate  it  at 
pleasure.  A  small  boiler  heated  by 
a  lamp,  would  answer  ever}'  purpose 
for  domestic  use  ;  it  is  certainly  to 
be  preferred  to  a  furnace  of  charcoal. 


9 


# 


98 


PRODUCE    OF    AN    ACRE,  &c. 


I  HAVE  said  nothing  of  the  profits 
of  the  silk  culture,  or  rather  have 
made  no  exact  calculations  of  the 
produce  of  an  acre  of  land. 

An  acre  of  land  may  be  rich  or 
poor,  in  a  climate  of  short  summers 
or  long  ones,  of  slow  growth  or  rapid, 
so  that  no  exact  calculations  can  be 
made  other  than  the  general  one, — 
that  an  acre  will  produce  from  forty 
to  four  hundred  pounds  of  silk,  at  a 
cost  not  exceeding  one  dollar  and  fif- 
ty cents  per  pound,  ready  for  mar- 
ket.     The  quantity  must  be  deter- 


M 


PRODUCE    OF    AN   ACRE.  99 

mined  by  the  circumstances  above 
named  ;  the  value  of  the  silk  is  from 
four  to  seven  dollars. 

Each  cultivator  may  make  a  calcu- 
lation to  suit  his  own  climate  and 
soil,  by  taking  in  round  numbers  one 
hundred  pounds  of  leaves  for  one 
pound  of  reeled  silk.  Forty  thous- 
and worms,  well  fed,  will  give  fifteen 
pounds  of  silk.  An  acre  of  trees  or 
stools,  in  some  situations,  will  yield 
at  four  years  of  age,  fifty  thousand 
pounds  of  leaves — which,  at  one  hun- 
dred pounds  per  pound  of  silk,  will 
be  five  hundred  pounds ;  but  we  will 
leave  ten  thousand  pounds  of  leaves 
for  wasteage,  &c.  and  then  the  quan- 
tity will  be  large.  The  leaves  must 
be  of  the  best  quality  to  give  one 


'-hi 


iOO  PRODUCE    OF 

pound  of  silk  to  one  hundred  pounds 
of  leaves.  It  would  require  much 
more  of  watery  leaves. 

The  business  is  new  in  this  coun- 
try— in  some  parts  at  least,  and  I 
would  recommend  that  all  should  try 
experiments,  which  can  be  done 
without  expense.  The  experience 
of  one  part  of  the  country  may  be  no 
guide  for  another  part,  yet  we  can 
compare  notes ;  and,  as  this  is  a  wide 
field  for  enterprise,  where  competi- 
tion need  not  be  feared,  I  hope  that 
a  liberal  spirit  will  pervade  all  class- 
es throughout  the  country,  and  all 
persons  freely  communicate  such  in- 
telligence as  may  be  useful. 

I  have  not  even  mentioned  manu- 
factures of  silk,  as  it  has  no  connex- 


AN    ACRE.  101 

ion  with  the  business  of  the  farmer. 
I  will  leave  that  subject  to  be  con- 
sidered hereafter,  when  we  shall 
have  raised  sufficient  materials  to 
keep  them  employed.  Of  this  I  am 
sure,  manufactures  will  spring  up 
all  around  us,  when  we  turn  out  the 
bales  of  raw  silk. 


102 


DO     THUNDER     STORMS    AF- 
FECT   THE     WORMS  ? 


This  is  a  question  often  asked  and 
I  will  venture  to  answer,  that  so  far 
as  my  experience  goes,  they  do  not 
— although  they  are  thought  to  do  so 
by  some  cultivators  in  Europe.  I 
have  carefully  observed  them  during 
repeated  severe  thunder  storms,  and 
have  tried  experiments  which  prove 
to  my  mind,  that  the  ill  effects 
which  have  been  supposed  to  be 
caused  by  thunder,  have  arisen  from 
suffocation. 

It  is  natural  for  any  one  on  the  ap- 


DO    THUNDER    STORMS  103 

proach  of  a  thunder  cloud,  to  fly  to 
the  windows — like  sailors  in  a  squall 
— to  make  all  snug  before  the  show- 
er comes  ;  and  as  all  thunder  storms 
are  preceded  by  hot  sultry  weather, 
it  follows  that  the  worms,  having 
had  a  free  circulation  of  air  during 
the  day,  are  suddenly  shut  up  close 
in  the  sultry  air  of  the  cocoonry 
while  the  outward  air  is  becoming 
purified  by  the  storm.  Worms  near- 
ly or  quite  ready  to  mount,  will 
perish  under  such  treatment. 

I  have  tried  a  part  of  the  same  lit- 
ter of  worms,  shut  up  under  the  cir- 
cumstances as  above,  and  the  other 
part  with  the  doors  and  windows  all 
shut  as  before, — but  with  the  ventila- 
tors in  the  floor  and  roof  open.    Those 


104  AFFECT    THE    WOERMS. 

in  the  close  room  nearly  all  perished 
before  morning — (the  storm  was  at 
6,  P.  M.) — while  thase  in  the  venti- 
lated part  were  not  affected  in  the 
least.  You  will  therefore  look  well 
to  the  ventilators. 


105 


TO    LANDHOLDERS. 


To  landholders  throughout  the 
United  States,  I  would  particularly 
address  this  chapter,  and  urge  them 
by  all  means  to  plant  mulberry 
trees.  Your  land  will  increase  in 
value  with  the  increasing  growth 
of  the  trees. 

Many  large  tracts  of  light  uplands 
may  be  made,  in  a  few  years,  more 
productive  to  the  proprietor  than  the 
richest  meadows.  I  have  in  another 
place  mentioned  the  means  by  which 
they  may  be  brought  into  a  luxu- 
riant growth  of  the  mulberry. 
10 


106  TO    LANDHOLDERS. 

Have  you  many  poor  families  in 
your  neighborhood  to  whom  you 
would  be  benefactors  and  friends  ? 
Plant  mulberry  trees — provide  silk 
worm  eggs,  and  let  each  family  have 
a  part  to  raise  at  home — furnish  them 
with  leaves — take  a  portion  of  the 
produce  as  your  share,  leaving  them 
an  abundance  for  their  support  and 
yourself  one  hundred  per  cent  on 
the  investment  in  dollars  and  cents, 
and  one  thousand  per  cent  in  the 
satisfaction  of  having  contributed  to 
the  comfort  and  happiness  of  your 
poor  neighbors. 

You  enable  the  farmer  of  small 
means  to  keep  his  children  at  home, 
away  from  the  factories — attending 
school — cultivating     their    immortal 


TO    LANDHOLDERS.  107 

minds,  yet  assisting  in  the  cultiva- 
tion of  the  richest  of  all  the  products 
of  the  soil — providing  the  comforts,  if 
not  the  luxuries  of  life,  and  you  thus 
remove  many  temptations  from  the 
path  of  the  indigent.  Many  a  lad  in 
any  part  of  the  country  would  re- 
joice at  the  prospect  thus  held  out  to 
him  of  educating  himself  at  our  best 
colleges,  by  a  few  weeks  industry  in 
each  season,  aided  by  those  who  have 
now  lands  lying  waste. 

This  is  no  idle  speculation.  Try 
it  even  in  a  small  way  till  you  are 
satisfied.  If  you  set  about  it  in  ear- 
nest, you  will  be  satisfied  that  you 
are  enriching  yourself,  your  neigh- 
bors, and  your  country. 


108 


TO  THE  OVERSEERS  OF  THE 
POOR  IN  TOWNS  AND  CIT- 
lES. 


I  WOULD  ask  you  gentlemen,  if  the 
poor-houses  under  your  charge  are 
not  felt  to  be  odious  public  burdens  1 
Are  there  not  in  all  these  poor-houses 
many,  who  by  adverse  fortune  have 
been  driven,  as  a  last  resort,  to  place 
themselves  under  your  care,  but  who 
are  still  possessed  of  the  finer  feel- 
ings of  our  nature,  to  whom  this  feel- 
ing of  some  of  your  boards  (to  this 
character    of    overseers    there     are 


TO    OVERSEERS    OF    POOR.  ]  09 

many  honorable  exceptions)  is  like 
gall  and  wormwood  ? 

I  think  I  can  answer  for  some  of 
you,  that  such  is  the  case.  Would 
you  relieve  your  towns  from  these 
burdens  1  Plant  mulberry  trees  on 
the  farms  that  are  connected  with 
many,  and  may  be  with  all.  The 
gathering  of  trees  and  feeding  worms 
will  be  but  pastime  for  the  children 
and  aged  persons,  on  whose  hands 
time  now  hangs  heavy. 

There  are  but  few  in  our  poor- 
houses  who  are  not  able  to  perform 
the  li2:ht  work  of  raisins;  silk,  and 
but  few  who  would  not  prefer  it, 
rather  than  idleness.  And  I  will 
venture  the  assertion,  that  there  are 
but  few,  if  any  towns,  that  may  not 
10^ 


110  TO    OVERSEERS    OF    POOR 

thus  enable  the  poor  to  support  them- 
selves and  enjoy  the  satisfaction  at 
least  of  knowing,  that  they  are  not 
entirely  objects  of  charity,  but  rather 
earning  their  own  living  under  the 
direction  of  those  w'ho  are  more  ca- 
pable of  guiding  the  helm  than 
themselv^es.  Thou-sands  might  be 
kept  from  the  poor-house,  had  they 
kind  friends  but  to  advise  and  direct 
them,  in  cases,  where,  want  of  judg- 
ment and  tact  is  the  principal  obsta- 
cle to  their  advancement  in  the 
world.  Do,  gentlemen,  try  the  ex- 
periment. I  am  sure  yowY  towns 
can  lose  nothing  by  it.  If  the}^  do 
not  more  than  support  their  poor,  it 
will  be  for  want  of  interest  and  at- 
tention on   your  part.     In   the  first 


IN    TOWNS    AND    CITIES.  Ill 

place,  plant  a  few  acres  of  mulberry 
trees.  Your  housekeepers  can  di- 
rect all  the  management  of  the 
worms,  and  there  are  always  some  in 
the  house  who  can  reel  the  cocoons ; 
— if  not,  sell  them ;  and  if  you  will 
not  raise  the  worms,  raise  the  leaves 
and  sell  them.  I  am  perfectly  wil- 
ling you  should  have  it  your  own 
way,  so  that  you  plant  midberry  trees. 


112 


STATE     BOUNTIES. 


We  are  often  asked,  "  if  the  silk 
business  is  so  profitable,  why  do  you 
ask  for  state  bounties?"  I  would 
answer,  that  it  is  the  great  body  of 
farmers  whom  we  would  engage  in 
this  business. 

Farmers  in  all  countries  are  slow 
to  adopt  improvements,  and  are  par- 
ticularly averse  to  any  cultivation, 
that  will  not  yield  an  immediate  re- 
turn. The  very  nature  of  the  silk 
culture,  requires  time  for  the  growth 
of  the  trees,  and  although  our  Amer- 
ican system  reduces  the  time  former- 


STATE    BOUNTIES.  113 

ly  required  to  bring  a  plantation  into 
profitable  use,  still  we  must  have  a 
year  or  two  for  the  trees  to  become 
established.  Besides,  no  one  can  ex- 
pect to  raise  five  or  ten  pounds  of 
silk,  at  the  same  rate  that  he  can 
raise  fifty  or  five  hundred. 

A  state  bounty  of  twenty  cents 
per  pound  on  cocoons  and  fifty  cents 
per  pound  for  reeled  silk,  continued 
for  a  few  years,  will  induce  our  far- 
mers to  engage  extensively  in  the 
culture,  and  when  it  is  once  fairly 
established,  I  have  no  fears  for  the 
result.  The  state  may  then  venture 
to  leave  the  silk  culture  to  rise  on  its 
own  merits. 

In  all  countries  the  culture  of  silk 
has  engaged  the  particular  attention 


114  STATE    BOUNTIES. 

of  governments  and  every  encour- 
agement has  been  given  to  increase 
its  culture — and  with  success.  In 
Germany  it  was  undertaken  to  do  it 
by  compulsion.  Laws  were  enact- 
ed compelling  every  owner  and  oc- 
cupier of  land  to  plant  mulberry 
trees  and  feed  silk  worms.  The  re- 
sult might  have  been  anticipated. 
The  people  would  not  be  compelled 
to  do  it,  and  sought  every  opportuni- 
ty of  destroying  the  trees. 

I  would  compel  our  farmers  to 
cultivate  silk  in  quite  another  way. 
Induce  one  enterprising  individual 
to  clear  five  hundred  dollars  from  an 
acre  of  ground,  and  the  business  is 
done  for  that  neighborhood.  If  the 
enterprising  farmer  engages  in  ear- 


i 


STATE    BOUNTIES.  115 

nest,  the  five  hundred,  or  a  thousand 
dollars,  per  acre,  will  follow.  Now 
they  cannot  know  this  till  they  try 
it,  and  will  our  legislatures  induce 
them  to  try  it  ? 


MANUFACTURE    OF    SILK. 


I  HAD  intended  to  omit  the  subject 
of  the  manufacture  of  silk,  but  as  our 
ability  to  manufacture  silk  in  this 
country  is  doubted  by  many,  and  the 
question  is  so  often  repeated  in  the 
numerous  letters  of  inquiry  v^^hich  I 
receive,  '-  Can  we  manufacture  silk 
in  this  country  in  competition  with 
China  and  Europe  ?"  that  I  am  in- 
duced here  to  say,  that  in  some  arti- 
cles, we  can,  but  that  we  must  yield 
the  palm  to  the  French  on  the  score 
of  taste  in  design  in  the  fancy  trade. 
11 


118  MANUFACTURE 

They  certainly  excel  in  that.  But 
in  the  plain  staple  articles  of  silk 
manufacture,  we  can  compete  with 
Europe  and  in  some  articles  even 
with  China ;  but  not  from  imported 
silk. 

I  have  given  my  views  in  another 
chapter  of  the  superior  quality  of 
American  silk,  and  I  hazard  nothing 
in  saying  that  when  we  are  suffi- 
ciently established  in  the  production 
of  raw  silk  to  insure  a  constant  sup- 
ply, manufactories  will  arise  in  eve- 
ry part  of  the  country.  There  are 
already  many  in  operation,  which 
depend  almost  entirely  on  foreign 
silk.  Bly  own  manufactory  may  be 
named  as  one,  for  which  there  is  not 
yet  silk  enough  raised  in  the  coun- 


OF    SILK.  119 

try.  We  have  power  looms  for  rib- 
bons, including  those  now  in  opera- 
tion and  those  in  the  hands  of  the 
machinist,  sufficient  to  turn  off  4,000 
yards  of  ribbon  daily,  of  widths  vary- 
ing from  half  an  inch  wide  to  four 
inches, — besides  machinery  for  sew- 
ing silk  and  braids.  Another  facto- 
ry in  the  same  town  will  require 
from  two  hundred  to  six  hundred 
pounds  per  week,  which  must  at 
present  be  imported. 

The  day  will  soon  come  w^hen  we 
can  produce  our  Sinckeivs  and  Pon- 
gees in  competition  with  China. 
You  w  ill  ask,  "  How  can  this  be  ?" 
How  was  it  wdth  cotton  1  Have  not 
some  of  my  readers  samples  of  the 
"India  cotton"   as   it   was  formerly 


120  MANUFACTURE 

imported?  Is  not  the  scale  com- 
pletely turned  now  7  There  is 
scarcely  a  ship  that  does  not  take  a 
part  of  her  cargo  in  "  Domestics"  for 
Canton,  and  even  printed  silk  hand- 
kerchiefs, from  their  own  silk.  The 
weaving  of  a  piece  of  Sinchew,  costs 
in  Canton  two  dollars.  It  may  be 
done  by  power  looms  in  this  country 
for  fifty  cents,  from  American  silk, 
of  course ;  we  cannot  do  it  from  im- 
ported. 

In  any  article  of  silk  manufacture 
to  which  we  can  apply  machinery, 
we  can  now  even  compete  with  Eu- 
rope,— duty  free.  But  when  our 
own  raw  material  is  abundant,  we 
shall  be  perfectly  independent.  We 
shall   possess  advantages  which   the 


OF    SILK.  121 

cotton  and  woolen  manufacture  does 
not.  Why  1  Cotton  and  wool  must 
be  prepared  by  expensive  machine- 
ry and  by  an  expensive  process,  be- 
fore it  can  be  spun.  The  silk  loorm 
does  all  this,  and  it  does  it  in  better 
style  in  this  country  than  in  China 
or  Europe.  A  vast  deal  of  the  la- 
bor which  is  there  required,  may  be 
dispensed  with  here. 

It  is  not  my  intention  to  enter  into 
the  details  of  manufacturing.  I  am 
very  certain  that  it  will  keep  pace 
with  the  production  of  the  raw  ma- 
terial. 

I  might  amuse  my  readers,  per- 
haps, with  the  calculation  of  the 
number  of  pieces  of  Sinchews  and 
Pongees  an  acre  will  produce,  in- 
11^ 


122     '  MANUFACTURE 

stead  of  pounds  of  silk ;  but  I  will 
omit  it  for  the  present,  and  in  con- 
nection with  this  subject  will  make 
some  extracts  from  a  work  recently 
published  in  England  by  Doct. 
Ure,*  shewing  the  extent  and  im- 
portance of  the  silk  manufacture  of 
England  and  France,  in  which  a  par- 
ticular account  of  the  schools  of  De- 
sign is  given.  Both  of  these  topics 
I  think  are  intimately  connected 
with  my  subject  and  will  prove  in- 
teresting to  my  readers. 

"  The  average  produce  of  silk  in 
Italy  for  the  years  1829,  1830  and 
1831,  was  from  5,000,000  to  6,000,- 


*  Philosophy  of  Manufactures,  by  Doct.  Ure  ; 
London  ed. 


OF    SILK.  123 

000  of  English  pounds  ;  of  which  the 
Tyrol,  Friuli  and  Lombardy,  fur- 
nished 3,000,000  pounds ;  the  Ro- 
man States,  Naples  and  Sicily,  600,- 
000  pounds ;  and  Piedmont,  1,250,- 
000,  and  this  quantity  is  very  capa- 
ble of  increase.  From  the  Lombar- 
dy States,  the  export  in  1831,  was 
335,000  pounds  to  Berlin  and  Vien- 
na ;  120,000  to  Russia;  200,000  to 
Switzerland ;  to  the  Rhenish  manu- 
factories, 500,000  pounds ;  to  Eng- 
land, 2,250,000  ;  making  altogether, 
3,405,000  pounds,  exported. 

"  France  employs  about  700,000 
pounds,  or  three  fifths  of  the  organ- 
zine  silk  thrown  in  Piedmont ;  and 
England,  the  remaining  two  fifths, 
very  nearly. 


124  MANUFACTURE 

"  The  duty  on  foreign  raw  silk  in 
France  is  about  8d  the  English 
pound  ;  except  on  India  silk,  which 
is  only  2id,  per  pound.  The  prices 
of  the  best  French  silks  are  general- 
ly ten  per  cent  higher  than  those 
of  similar  Italian  silks.  In  Zurich, 
where  thrown  silk  is  duty  free,  there 
were  only  1000  looms  in  1792,  and 
there  are  12,000  at  present. 

"  The  silk  trade  of  Great  Britain 
at  present  may  be  valued  at  £  7,000,- 
000  sterling;  the  silk  importations 
from  France  through  our  custom- 
house amount  to  .£450,000,  and  by 
smuggling  to  £300,000  more.  The 
ribbon  manufacture  of  England 
amounts  to  £  1,000,000  annually ; 
and  that  of  France  to  £  1,300,000. 


i 


OF    SILK.  125 

"The  value  of  4,200,000  pounds 
weight  of  raw  silk  manufactured  in 
France,  has  been  estimated  at  £5,- 
600,000  sterling  ;  of  which  goods 
equal  to  £5,400,000  are  exported 
and  only  £  1,200,000  worth  retained 
for  internal  use  ;  being  probably  not 
more  than  one  fifth  of  the  home  con- 
sumption of  the  United  Kingdom. 
The  declared  value  of  all  our  ex- 
ported manufactured  silks  last  year, 
was  only  £636,419;  if  this  sum  be 
deducted  from  our  total  manufacture, 
£7,000,000,  the  remainder  £6,863,- 
581  will  denote  the  value  of  the  silk 
goods  retained  for  use, — a  value 
which  may,  in  round  numbers,  be 
rated  at  six  millions  sterling. 

*'Thus  it  would  appear  that  the 


126  MANUFACTURE 

females  of  this  country  can  afford  to 
spend  five  times  more  money  upon 
the  luxury  of  dress  than  those  of 
France,  who  are  one  half  more  nu- 
merous and  not  less  vain. 

"  The  great  developement  of  the 
silk  manufacture  in  France  is  mainly 
owing  to  its  being  the  least  protected 
interest  in  the  kingdom.  Its  spon- 
taneous growth,  being  fostered  by 
the  natural  taste  of  the  people,  has 
given  it  a  stability  at  home  and  a 
steady  demand  over  the  whole 
world.  As  foreign  silks  are  admit- 
ted at  a  moderate  duty  they  stimu- 
late to  fresh  improvement  and  sug- 
gest endless  variations  of  style. 

"  The  opinion  generally  entertain- 
ed of  the  superiority  of  French  figu- 


^^ 


i 


OF    SILK.  127 

red  silks,  and  which  may  depend  for 
their  beauty  on  tasteful  arrangement, 
is  no  more  a  prejudice  of  mankind, 
than  the  feeling  in  favor  of  the 
works   of  Raphael   and   Titian. 

"  In  the  manufacturing  texture  the 
prepossession  however  is  in  favor  of 
Great  Britain  on  account  of  superior 
machinery.  Taste  descends  to  the 
lowest  classes  of  the  community  in 
France,  in  remarkable  contrast  with 
the  neglect  of  it  among  the  lower  or- 
ders of  our  countrymen  (England.) 
Taste  is  in  fact  a  cheap  commodity 
across  the  channel,  it  is  rare  and 
costly  on  this  side  of  it ;  a  circum- 
stance due  very  much  to  the  pains 
taken  by  the  French  government  for 
a  century  and  a  half  to  encourage 


k 


128  MANUFACTURE 

the  fine  arts  and  to  exhibit  speci- 
mens of  them  freely  to  the  people, 
in  public  buildings,  all  over  the 
kingdom. 

"  Gratuitous  schools  of  design  also 
are  established  at  Paris,  Lyons,  and 
many  of  the  principal  towns.  Taste 
is  displayed  both  in  the  forms  and 
grouping  of  the  figures  and  the  dis- 
position of  the  colors. 

"  The  history  of  the  introduction 
of  the  Jacauard  loom,  is  a  most  in- 
structive  lesson  on  the  advantage  of 
free  intercourse  and  rivalship  be- 
tween different  countries.  The  in- 
ventor of  that  beautiful  mechanism 
was  originally  an  obscure  straw-hat 
manufacturer  who  had  never  turned 
his  mind  to  automatic  mechanics,  till 


OF    SILK.  129 

he  had  an  opportunity  by  the  Peace 
of  Amiens,  of  seeing  in  an  English 
newspaper  the  offer  of  a  reward  by 
our  Society  of  Arts,  to  any  man  who 
would  weave  a  net  by  machinery. 
He  forthwith  roused  his  dormant  fac- 
ulties and  produced  a  net  by  mecha- 
nism ;  but  not  finding  the  means  of 
encourascement  in  the  state  of  his 
country,  he  threw  it  aside  for  some 
time  and  eventually  gave  it  to  a 
friend  as  a  matter  of  little  moment. 
The  net  however  got  by  some  means 
into  the  hands  of  the  public  authori- 
ties and  was  sent  to  Paris. 

"  After     a     considerable     period, 

when  Jacquard  had  ceased  to  think 

of  his  invention,  the  Prefect  of  the 

Department  sent  for  him  and  said, 

12 


130  MANUFACTURE 

"  You  have  directed  your  attention 
to  the  making  of  net  by  machine- 
ry." He  did  not  immediately  recol- 
lect it,  but  the  net  being  pro- 
duced recalled  every  thing  to  his 
mind. 

"  On  being  desired  by  the  Prefect, 
to  make  the  machine  which  had  led 
to  the  result,  Jacquard  asked  three 
weeks  time  for  the  purpose.  He 
then  returned  with  it  and  requested 
the  Prefect  to  strike  with  his  foot  on 
a  part  of  the  machine,  whereby  a 
mesh  was  added  to  the  net. 

"  On  its  being  sent  to  Paris,  an 
order  was  issued  for  the  arrest  of  its 
constructor  by  Napoleon,  in  his  usu- 
al sudden  and  arbitrary  way.  He 
was   placed   immediately   in  charge 


*i. 


OF    SILK.  131 

of  a  gendarme,  and  was  not  allowed 
to  go  to  his  house  to  provide  himself 
with  necessaries  for  his  journey. 
Arrived  at  the  metropolis  he  was 
placed  in  the  Conservatorie  des  Arts, 
and  required  to  make  the  machine 
then  in  presence  of  inspectors ;  an 
order  with  which  he  accordingly 
complied. 

"  On  his  being  presented  to  Bona- 
parte and  Carnot,  the  former  ad- 
dressed him  with  an  air  of  increduli- 
ty in  the  following  terms — "  Are 
you  the  man  who  pretend  to  tie  a 
knot  in  a  stretched  string?"  He 
then  produced  the  machine  and  ex- 
hibited its  mode  of  operation. 

"  He  was  afterwards  called  upon 
to  examine  a  loom,  on  which  30,000 


^ 


132  MANUFACTURE 

francs  had  been  expended,  for 
making  fabrics  for  Bonaparte's  use. 
He  undertooii  to  do  by  simple  me- 
chanism, what  had  been  attempted  in 
vain  by  a  very  complicated  one ; 
and  taking  for  his  model  a  machine 
of  Vaucanson,  he  produced  the  fa- 
mous Jacquard  loom. 

"  He  returned  to  his  native  town, 
rewarded  with  a  pension  of  1,000 
crowns ;  but  experienced  the  utmost 
difficulty  to  introduce  his  machine 
among  the  silk  weavers ;  and  was 
three  times  exposed  to  imminent 
dan2:er  of  assassination.     The  Conseil 

CD 

des  Prudhommes,  who  are  the  official 
conservators  of  the  trade  of  Lyons, 
broke  up  his  loom  in  the  public 
place,  sold  the  iron  and  wood  for  old 


OF    SILK.  133 

materials,  and  denounced  him  as  an 
object  of  universal  hatred  and  igno- 
miny. Nor  was  it  till  the  French 
people  were  beginning  to  feel  the 
force  oi  foreign  competition,  that  they 
had  recourse  to  this  admirable  aid 
of  their  countryman  ;  since  which 
time  they  have  found  it  to  be  the 
only  real  protection  and  prop  of  their 
trade.  "^ 

"  It  is  in  the  production  of  the  pat- 
terns of  silk  goods  that  the  French 


*  It  may  not  be  generally  known  that  the 
Jacquard  loom  is  the  machine  by  which  all  fig- 
ured goods  are  now  made.  It  is  really  a  won- 
derful machine,  by  which  a  novice  in  the  art 
of  weaving  may  execute  the  most  beautiful  pat- 
terns when  once  mounted.     The  pattern  is  cut 

12* 


■'Stk 


134  MANUFACTURE 

have  a  decided  advantage  over  the 
British  ; — they  have  probably  little 
or  none  after  the  design  is  put  into 
the  loom. 

''  The  modes  in  which  taste  is  cul- 
tivated at  Lyons  deserve  particular 
study  and  imitation  in  this  country. 
Among  the  weavers  of  the  place,  the 
children  and  every  body  connected 
with  devising  patterns,  much  atten- 
tion is  devoted  to  every  thing  in  any 
way   connected    with    the    beautiful 

on  cards  which  are  overhead  and  so  arranged 
by  cords  that  by  moving  the  treadle  the  pattern 
proceeds.  This  machine  has  caused  a  great 
revolution  in  the  fancy  silk  trade.  It  is  also 
applied  to  all  kinds  of  figured  goods,  silk,  cot- 
ton, woolen  and  linen.  W. 


OF    SILK.  135 

either  in  figure  or  color.  Weavers 
may  be  seen  in  their  holiday  leisure 
gathering  flowers  and  grouping  them 
in  the  most  engaging  combinations.* 
They  are  continually  suggesting  new 
designs  to  their  employers ;  and  are 
thus  the  fruitful  source  of  elegant 
patterns.  There  is  hardly  any  con- 
siderable house  in  Lyons,  in  which 

*  It  is  certainly  much  to  be  regretted,  that  so 
little  taste  for  flowers  and  all  that  is  beautiful 
in  nature,  is  manifested  by  the  majority  of  our 
farmers,  and  consequently  of  their  children. 
Who  but  they  should  cultivate  a  taste  for  these 
things  ?  Are  they  not  in  the  midst  of  them  1 
Were  they  made  only  to  be  trodden  under  foot 
and  despised  ?  I  trust  not.  And  if  our  farm- 
ers generally  would  take  a  little  pains  to  culti- 
vate the  tasteful  ornaments  of  the  earth,  as  well 


136  MANUFACTURE 

there  is  not  a  partner  who  owes  his 
place  in  it  to  his  success  as  an  artist. 

"  The  town  of  Lyons  is  so  con- 
scious of  the  value  of  such  studies 
that  it  contributes  20,000  francs  per 
annum,  to  the  government  establish- 
ment of  the  School  of  Arts,  which 
takes  charge  of  every  youth  who 
shows  an  aptitude  for  drawing  or  im- 
itative design  of  any  kind  applicable 
to  manufactures.     Hence  all  the  em- 


as  its  substantial  productions,  there  would  be 
nothing  lost,  but  much  gained.  It  would  lead 
to  refinement  of  mind  and  manners,  and  should 
not  the  farmer  be  refined  ?  Is  there  any  thing 
in  the  employment  and  life  of  a  farmer  to  pre- 
vent the  cultivation  of  a  taste  for  the  *'  sublime 
and  beautiful  V  W. 


OF    SILK.  137 

inent  painters,  sculptors,  even  bota- 
nists and  florists  of  Lyons  become 
eventually  associated  with  the  staple 
trade,  and  devote  to  it  their  happiest 
conceptions. 

"  In  the  principal  school,  that  of 
St.  Peters,  there  are  about  one 
hundred  and  eighty  students ;  every 
one  of  whom  receives  from  the  town 
a  gratuitous  education  in  art  for  five 
years ;  comprehending  delineations 
in  anatomy,  botany,  architecture  and 
loom  pattern  drawing. 

"  A  botanical  garden  is  attached  to 
the  school.  The  government  allows 
3100  francs  a  year  to  the  school  of 
Lyons.  The  school  supplies  the 
scholars  with  every  thing  but  the 
materials  and   allows   them  to  reap 


?«. 


138  MANUFACTURE 

the  benefit  of  their  works.  The 
professor  of  painting  is  a  man  of  dis- 
tinguished talent,  well  known  to 
connoisseurs. 

"The  French  manufacturer  justly 
considers  that  his  pattern  is  the  prin- 
cipal element  of  his  success  in  trade  ; 
for  the  mere  handiwork  of  weaving 
is  a  simple  affair  with  the  improved 
Jacquard  loom.  He  therefore  visits 
the  school  and  picks  out  the  boy  who 
promises  by  taste  and  invention  to 
suit  his  purposes  best.  He  invites 
him  to  his  house  and  gives  him  a 
small  salary  to  be  gradually  ad- 
vanced. 

"  After  three  or  four  years,  if  the 
young  artist's  success  be  remarkable 
he  may  have  his  salary  raised,  and 


OF    SILK.  139 

when  his  reputation  is  once  estab- 
lished, he  is  sure  of  the  offer  of  a 
partnership.  Such  is  the  general 
history  of  many  of  the  school  boys 
of  Lyons. 

"  Even  the  French  weaver,  who 
earns  156;?.  or  20d.  a  day,  prides  him- 
self upon  his  knowledge  of  design  ; 
he  will  turn  over  several  hundred 
patterns  in  his  possession  and  dis- 
course on  their  relative  merits,  sel- 
dom erring  far  in  predicting  the  suc- 
cess of  any  new  style.  By  this  dis- 
position the  minds  of  the  silk  wea- 
vers in  France  become  elevated  and 
refined,  instead  of  being  stultified  in 
gin  shops,  as  those  of  the  English  too 
frequently  are. 

"In   flower   patterns   the   French 


140  MANUrACTURE 

designs  are  remarkably  free  from  in- 
congruities, being  copied  from  na- 
ture with  scientific  precision.  They 
supply  taste  to  the  whole  world  in 
proportion  to  the  extent  of  their  ex- 
portations,  which  amount  to  one 
hundred  and  ten  millions,  out  of  one 
hundred  and  forty. 

"  In  the  Lyons  school,  collections 
of  silk  fabrics  may  be  studied  ex- 
tending over  a  period  of  four  thous- 
and years,  with  explanations  of  the 
modes  in  which  every  pattern  was 
produced,  from  the  rude  silk  of  the 
Egyptian  mummies  to  figured  webs 
of  the  last  year. 

"  There  are  also  weaving  schools, 
containing  from  sixty  to  eighty 
scholars.     In  these  a  pattern  being 


OF    SILK.  141 

exhibited,  they  are  required  to  ex- 
ercise their  invention  immediately 
as  to  the  best  means  of  producing 
the  design  on  a  piece  of  silk  goods. 
The  master  removes  such  difficulties 
as  are  occasionally  encountered,  and 
leads  them  on  to  a  successful  accom- 
plishment of  the  task. 

"  Within  a  few  years,  a  large  lega- 
cy has  been  left  by  Gen.  Martin  for 
the  purpose  of  establishing  another 
institution  similar  to  the  school  of  St. 
Peters. 

"  Their  superiority  in  art  is  turn- 
ed to  good  account  in  many  other 
French  manufactures,  notwithstand- 
ing the  double  price  of  the  raw  ma- 
terial in  France.  Their  fancy  arti- 
13 


k 


142  MANUFACTURE 

cles  in  iron  and  steel  are  exported  in 
large  quantities.  Their  bronze  fig- 
ures have  made  their  way  into  all 
parts  of  the  world,  along  side  of  their 
silk  goods  ;  both  being  equally  pro- 
ductions of  fine  taste  and  therefore 
yielding  profitable  returns. 

"  The  establishment  at  Lyons, 
which  takes  charge  of  the  interests 
of  its  trade,  and  is  called  the  "  Co7i- 
seil  des  Prudhommes,^^  noticed  above, 
is  of  a  very  useful  nature. 

"When  a  manufacturer  has  in- 
vented a  new  pattern,  he  deposits  a 
specimen  of  it,  sealed,  in  the  archives 
of  that  body,  on  which  he  pays  from 
two  to  ten  francs,  according  to  the 
desired   duration   of  his   copy-right. 


OF    SILK.  143 

The  (^onseil  can  seize  all  pirated 
imitation  goods,  fine  the  offender, 
and  even  imprison  him  for  ten  days. 

"  There  is  found  to  be  practically 
very  little  difficulty  in  a  man's  vin- 
dicating his  patent  right  before  this 
equitable  tribunal  which  is  one  of 
the  most  popular  and  best  organized 
institutions  of  France. 

"  It  originated  in  a  decree  of  Bo- 
naparte in  1806  for  the  reconstruc- 
tion, throughout  the  kingdom,  of  the 
old  manufacturing  tribunals  called 
the  "  Maitre  gardes^  It  is  com- 
posed at  Lyons  of  nine  master  manu- 
facturers and  eight  weavers,  one  of 
the  former  being  President ;  each 
party  being  elected  by  the  general 
votes  of  its  own  body  respectively ; 


L 


144  MANUFACTURE 

every   weaver  who    possesses    four 
looms  being  entitled  to  vote. 

"This  court  decides  all  questions 
connected  with  the  manufacturing 
interests  of  its  particular  district. 
Their  proceedings  are  distinguish- 
ed for  temperance  and  sagacity. 
The  men  who  represent  the  opera- 
tives, display  sound  sense  and  join  in 
the  discussions  of  the  open  court 
with  equal  propriety  as  their  em- 
ployers. All  questions  between 
masters  and  men — between  men  and 
apprentices,  and  in  fact  all  which 
bear  in  any  degree  on  the  silk 
trade,  are  referred  to  the  Conseil 
des  Prudhommes.  Their  disposi- 
tion seems  always  to  be  conciliato- 
ry.    They  examine  parties,  summon 


OF    SILK.  145 

witnesses  with  the  power  of  com- 
pelling their  attendance,  and  give 
awards  from  which  there  is  no  ap- 
peal, in  reference  to  any  sum  less 
than  one  hundred  francs.  The 
number  of  appeals  from  this  tribu- 
nal are  very  few." 


13* 


* 


FACTS    FROM    DANDOLO. 


I  SHALL  also  make  a  few  extracts 
from  a  work  of  the  Count  Dandolo, 
both  because  the  facts  are  curious, 
and  to  show  the  importance  of  at- 
tending to  a  thorough  ventilation  of 
rooms  where  silk  worms  are  fed. 

First,  on  the  "  quantity  of  gas  and 
excremental  substance  emitted  by 
the  silk  worm." 

"  I  here  offer  the  calculation,  re- 
sulting from  facts,  by  which  I  have 
been  able  to  ascertain  the  quantity 
of  substance  which  issues  from  the 


'Ok 


148  FACTS    FROM 

silk  worm  towards  the  close  of  the 
fifth  age — that  the  calculation  may- 
show  the  evils  which  are  constantly 
likely  to  attack  a  laboratory  (or  co- 
coonr}'.) 

"  It  must  be  well  observed,  that  I 
only  allude  to  the  noxious  emana- 
tions exhaled  by  the  silk  worms,  and 
not  of  the  leaves,  fibrous  fragments, 
and  excrements,  all  which  substan- 
ces deteriorate  the  air,  and  are  inju- 
rious to  the  silk  worms  if  not  re- 
moved. 

"  The  result  of  my  experiment 
proves  that  360  worms,  which  pro- 
duce about  one  pound  and  a  half  of 
cocoons,  weigh,  when  at  their  high- 
est growth  and  size,  three  pounds, 
three  ounces  and  a  half. 


DANDOLq.  149 

"  The  silk  worms,  after  this,  are 
ready  to  begin  their  cocoons,  in  the 
course  of  two  or  three  da3'^s,  and 
then  only  w^eigh  about  two  pounds, 
seven  ounces. 

"  When  the  silk  worms  begin  to 
rise,  they  void  a  quantity  of  nearly 
pure  water,  part  of  which  is  some- 
times discharged  through  the  silk- 
drawing  tubes  and  by  transpiration. 
They  also  evacuate  a  small  quantity 
of  solid  substance,  and  then  form  the 
cocoon  in  three  or  four  days. 

"  These  cocoons  altogether  weigh 
about  one  pound  and  a  half.  Five 
ounces  of  eggs  will  produce  six 
quintals  of  cocoons. 

"  If  360  worms  weigh  three 
pounds,    three   ounces  and    a    half, 


150  FACTS    FROM 

when  in  their  utmost  growth,  it  most 
clearly  appears  that  the  whole  num- 
ber which  produce  600  pounds  of 
cocoons,  will  weigh  1285  pounds, 
three  ounces,  when  they  reach  their 
utmost  growth. 

"  And  if  the  worms  previous  to 
beginning  their  cocoons,  only  weigh 
42  ounces,  it  must  appear  equally 
clear,  that  the  whole  number  will 
weigh  10  quintals  and  50  pounds ; 
and  therefore  in  three  days,  they 
must  have  lost  237^  pounds  weight 
of  substance,  either  solid  or  liquid, 
from  exhalation  or  steam.  And  if 
after  two  or  three  days,  they  are 
changed  into  600  pounds  of  cocoons, 
it  is  evident,  that  in  three  or  four 
days,     they     must     have    lost     450 


DANDOLO.  151 

pounds   weight   of  substance   either 
in  liquid  or  in  vapor  and  gas. 

"  In  the  space  of  six  or  seven  days 
therefore,  the  bodies  of  the  insects 
requisite  to  produce  only  600  pounds 
cocoons  must  have  lost  700  pounds 
weight  of  vapor  or  gas,  solid  and 
liquid  excremental  substance ;  this 
astonishing  quantity  of  substance  ex- 
creted from  the  bodies  of  the  silk 
worms  in  so  short  a  time,  is  of  great- 
er weight  than  the  whole  of  the  co- 
coons and  aurelias,  which  only  weigh 
600  pounds.  It  is  scarcely  credible 
that  they  should  yield  so  much  nox- 
ious matter  in  a  few  days,  we-re  it 
not  demonstrated  by  positive  facts. 
It  is  needless  to  add  that  ventilation 


152  FACTS    FROM 

will  prevent  the  ill  effects  of  so 
great  a  quantity  of  moisture. 

"  No  branch  of  information  how- 
ever minute,  can  be  useless  when  it 
can  in  any  degree  contribute  to  im- 
provement, when  it  diminishes  losses 
and  when  it  increases  the  profits  of 
any  art  whatever ;  and  as  my  object 
is  to  enable  any  body  to  rear  silk 
worms  and  to  draw  from  them  every 
possible  advantage  they  can  offer,  I 
have  even  tried  to  ascertain  the  ex- 
act loss  of  weight  of  the  cocoon  each 
day. 

"  I  carefully  weighed  every  day 
1000  ounces  of  cocoons,  reckoning 
from  the  moment  they  completed 
their   formation    until    I    perceived 


DANDOLO. 


153 


that  some  moths  wet  the  cocoon  a 
little  and  were  preparing  to  come 
forth. 

"  The  following  is  the  result  of  the 
daily  decrease  of  1000  ounces  of  co- 
coons in  a  temperature  of  71  degrees 
and  73  degrees. 

Gathered  from  the  fagots  and  clean- 
ed, the  cocoons  weighed  1000  ounces. 

First  day  following,       991 

Second 

Third 

Fourth 

Fifth 

Sixth 

Seventh 

Eighth 

Ninth 

Tenth 


c< 


€6 


14 


982 
975 
970 
966 
960 
952 
943 
934 
925 


154  FACTS    FROM 

"  We  find  by  this  that  the  cocoons 
lose  in  ten  days  seven  and  a  half  per 
cent,  by  the  desiccation  of  the  chry- 
salis alone.  The  first  four  days  they 
lose  three  per  cent,  or  three  quarters 
per  cent  a  day  ;  in  the  last  days  they 
lose  rather  more,  because  as  the  for- 
mation of  the  moth  approaches,  a 
greater  quantity  of  humidity  evapo- 
rates." 


"  Facts  relative  to  the  increase  and 
decrease  of  silk  worms  in  weight  and 
size. 


Progressive  increase. 


One  hundred  worms  just  hatched 
weigh  1  grain. 


DANDOLO.  155 

After  the  first  moulting     15  grains. 
"        Second     "  94      " 

"        Third       "         400      " 
"        Fourth     "       1628      " 

On  attaining  the  great- 
est size  9500      " 

"Thus  have  they  in  thirty  days 
increased  9500  times  their  primitive 
weight. 

"  The  worm  diminishes  gradually 
in  weight  during  the  last  twenty- 
eight  days  of  its  existence  ; — that  is, 
from  the  moment  of  attaining  its  per- 
fection as  a  worm,  until  its  death  in 
the  form  of  a  moth.  It  eats  nothing, 
is  supported  by  its  own  substance, 
and  yet  accomplishes  in  that  period 

14* 


156  FACTS    FROM    DANDOLO. 

the  most  important  functions  of  its 
life. 

"  The  facts  I  have  stated  demon- 
strate the  strong  vitality  of  the  silk 
worm  and  what  pains  and  errors 
must  be  adapted  to  disease  and 
kill  it." 


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